Update 4/25/22: Just a reminder to cancel this subscription if you don’t want to be charged
Deal has ended, view more Panera deals by clicking here.
The Offer
- American Express is offering 6 months free subscription to MyPanera+ Coffee
The Fine Print
- Valid until 1/31/22
- Must be a new MyPanera+ coffee subscriber
Our Verdict
Panera has been giving out three months for free on a regular basis. This enrolls you in auto billing so remember to cancel before the six months is up.
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I thought it was funny they include sodas now. Thought their aim was being healthy.
I thought it was funny that you think Panera has anything healthy at all to begin with.
I hate to defend them , but of ALL the options out there, they’re easily in the top 25% of all quick food options.
The program recently expanded (at least in the Philly area) to include any self-service beverage. The catch is the price is going up to $10.99. However, if you are currently a subscriber, it will remain $8.99 for the rest of the year. So if you think you could get more use out of this with the expanded plan, it may behoove you to actually becoming a paying customer until 2023.
If you understand how this all works, it might behoove you to sign up for another free trial before July 4. They’ll end at some point.
The soft drink inclusion seems national, I saw a press release on it. It’s free until July 4th for everyone who signs up by May 6th.
I don’t eat at Panera much, it’s quite pricy and the food is just ok, IMO. Couple weeks ago my family went for lunch. $40 for 2 entrees, 2 drinks, 2 kids meals. I always used P2’s rewards account on the rare time we go. What does $40 get you? One “visit”, after FOUR more visits i get a reward that is unknown to me right now. So after 4 more visits, or $160 in lunches, I’ll get what, $2 off? Correct me if I’m wrong but a “visit” counts the same if you order for 1 or 4 people? I’m sure if you did 4 separate orders with a couple minutes you wouldn’t get 4 “visits”… that’s crap.
So I created an account for me and signed up for the free drink club(No CC was needed!). Not only do I get free soft drinks till 7/4, I got a free bakery item and a $2 off an order just for signing up. In summary, their rewards program rewards churners and not repeat reward customers. Easy enough to switch up strategy, I’d suggest others do the same, if you go there fairly often.
They think that this will encourage people to buy more food there? Not on this community, LOL. You put in an “order” for a drink on their app in 30 seconds, walk in, pick up a cup, fill it, and walk out. Or grab a table and do some things on your phone/tablet/laptop for awhile and get free refills. I might do this 20x by the time July 4th rolls around. Nobody checks or cares, it seems anyone could walk right in and do this without being a club member…
The trial for the new subscription model actually lasts three months. I just signed up today sans cc and transaction history shows $0.00 each month until 7/24. The July 4th verbiage is completely pointless lol
Today I noticed they only had 12oz plastic cups. They could have simply been out, or they are trying to encourage people to eat-in and get refill(s) instead of providing larger cups for those who just grab and go.
Thanks for the reminder doc
It’s sorta a joke. Order Iced coffee with Madagascar Vanilla Syrup, all you get is a plastic cup with some syrup at the bottom. Ice alone is not gonna offset the hot temperature of coffee so it end up be a warm coffee 🙁
They have a different dispenser for cold brew
He wasn’t talking about cold brew. Hot coffee, iced coffee, and cold brew at Panera are three completely different beverages that are stored, served, and priced differently. omg you’re both noobs
The dispenser for cold brew is not available for self-serve because cold brew is not iced coffee.
Does the Panera subscription have to match the name on the Amex card in order to get the free 6 months subscription? I have the card and want to get it for my bro cause I’m out of the country right now so can’t use it
Any data points on cancelling early? Is it like the Amazon trials, where you can cancel auto-renewal right after signing up but keep the benefits through the trial period?
When you go to cancel, they typically offer you an extra three free months to stay. I’m not sure whether they add any extra if you cancel early on, but no real reason to cancel early unless you really don’t want to continue with free months.
No,
L. K. . Auto-renewal is billed monthly for all customers regardless of paid or unpaid.
If you cancel before the last month of the trial, you lose any unused future months.
They need to offer this for the Panera Beverage Club instead.
I’ve seen surveys about an expanded beverage club but my local Panera still only shows the coffee club as an option. Maybe that’s being tested in certain markets?
Yes, you can sign up in certain areas. I am not sure if you if you can use it nationwide, but I would assume so since it just shows up as a reward. You can change your local store and connect using a vpn to sign up. The terms for Raleigh, NC state that you must have made your last purchase at a store in that area but I am not sure that is enforced. You could always order a bagel and never pick it up though. The price in Raleigh is 8.99 per month for the beverage club, so if you are willing to pay for the coffee subscription, I think it is the same price or maybe a dollar more and you can get any self serve drinks. If you are getting the subscription for free, obviously this is much more expensive.
That explains the Raleigh exclusion in the terms.
You can get any self-serve beverage with the coffee program if you order iced coffee, and they give you an empty cup (which they usually do).
I don’t want free coffee, I want free pizza.
Free is free baby, why all the hate when these deals come around
Because people are selfish and ungrateful.