Groupon marks one billionth sale

CHICAGO - Groupon said it sold its one billionth Groupon, putting the company in the same group as Apple, McDonald's, Uber, The Beatles, Elvis and other brands and icons that have achieved the billion-sold milestone.

he billionth Groupon sold was an $11 for $20 promotion for pizza and Italian food at Pirrone's Pizzeria in the St. Louis area.

"We're thrilled and humbled to join the select group of brands and names in the billion-sold club," said Groupon CEO Rich Williams. "We owe a huge thank you to our amazing merchants who've entrusted us to promote their business and our loyal customers who've made us part of their daily routine when discovering the best businesses in their neighborhood."

Jay Jaworski, owner of Pirrone's Pizza. said "it's very cool" that the billionth Groupon was for a family-owned business.

"Groupon has been a smart way for us to promote our business to the local community, and we've used it very effectively to drive foot traffic and develop a loyal following with our customers," Jaworski said,

To commemorate the selling of 1 billion Groupons, Groupon is launching a "A Billion Thanks! " up-to-80-percent off sale running from Feb. 26-March 1 on nearly 50,000 deals--spanning restaurants, spas, activities, electronics, travel and more. The full collection can be found at http://gr.pn/billion.