Panera’s New Monthly Subscription Lets You Drink Unlimited Coffee for $9
As much as we'd all like to go out for coffee every morning (me, specifically), brewing a cup of joe at home is a much smarter financial choice. (According to a 2016 survey by the investment company Acorns, the average American spent about $1,100 on coffee in one year). However, Panera is here to make your caffeine habit a little more affordable. The café just introduced a coffee subscription program.
In a press release, the fast-casual chain revealed the details of the service called Your Cup Is Always Full. Subscribers can enjoy unlimited hot drip coffee, iced coffee, or hot tea of any size for just $8.99, plus tax, per month at any of the more than 2,100 Panera locations across the country.
Courtesy of Panera Bread
"Coffee is an important daily ritual for so many—can give you a dose of optimism—it lifts you up. We kept asking ourselves, why can’t it be more accessible, more affordable? Moreover, could unlimited coffee translate to unlimited optimism," Niren Chaudhary, CEO of Panera, says in the release. "Today, we're changing the game for coffee drinkers across the country with our no compromises, unlimited subscription service—great coffee at an amazing value." The release also notes that there will no longer be an up-charge for plant-based milks, including almond milk, stirred into your cup.
Related: Starbucks Is Offering Buy One, Get One on Drinks on Select Thursdays
To subscribe to the Your Cup Is Always Full, you need to be a part of the MyPanera loyalty program. (Don't worry, if you're not already a member, you can sign up for free at Panera's website or through the app.) After signing in or joining MyPanera, you'll go to the coffee subscription page and click on the subscribe button. From there, you'll be taken to a screen that asks for your home café. After selecting your nearest location, you'll go to a screen to enter your personal and payment information. If you'd ever like to cancel the service, you can do so at any time by logging into your account and managing your preferences.
You can start signing up for the service now and begin taking advantage of your subscription on Monday, March 2. There are a few caveats to the program. Although you can use it when ordering at the drive-thru window in-person, you cannot order on the app for drive-thru pick-up. However, you can order on the app for Rapid Pick Up, so your cup is waiting for your in-store when you arrive. Also, though it's dubbed unlimited, you can only get a cup of coffee every two hours, so you might want to sip slowly.
