As a MyPanera coffee club subscriber for the past two years, I’ve generally been pleased with the program. So when Panera recently introduced its new Unlimited Sip Club for just a buck more a month (allowing me to drink unlimited cups of iced tea) I didn’t think twice about subscribing. What works for me however, may not be a good fit for you.
If you love unlimited coffee, tea, or lemonade this is pretty much a no-brainer especially for the free six months or 3 month offers they are giving out to customers right now across the U.S. If you live by a Panera restaurant then the deal is better than making it yourself.
The unlimited drink club or Sip Club just got upgraded across the U.S. from just hot coffee to now covering most of the drinks you can self-serve which is an amazing thing for drink lovers!
If you haven’t yet heard of Unlimited Sip Club, it’s because the program was currently available in select test areas. It has finally rolled out nationwide. If you’re curious about this new subscription model or are on the fence about becoming a member, I hope this guide helps you decide.
What is the Panera Beverage Club (AKA Unlimited Sip Club)?
The Panera Unlimited Sip Club replaces the MyPanera coffee club subscription. For $8.99 a month (plus tax), the original program included an unlimited cup of brewed or iced coffee, per visit. Panera introduced its extended version last year, originally calling it Panera Beverage Club (technically MyPanera+ Beverage Club). It was originally $14.99 a month and was changed to its current price of $9.99 a month.
The program is still being tested in certain areas so it may not be available in your location just yet. Or if it is available, the terms might differ by location.
How to purchase a Panera Unlimited Sip Club membership
To purchase a Sip Club subscription, you need to be a MyPanera rewards card member. If you don’t have a MyPanera card, signing up for one is free and effortless.
Once you’re a rewards member, you can sign up for the Sip Club, provided it’s offered in your area. Your credit card is automatically charged each month, though you can cancel at any time.
Benefits of a MyPanera rewards card
Even if you decide not to purchase an Unlimited Sip or coffee subscription, consider signing up for a free MyPanera Rewards membership. Aside from special member perks, you get closer to receiving a free reward with every purchase (Sip Club orders don’t apply to purchases for rewards). The system is completely random, and can take anywhere from three, four, or seven visits to qualify for a freebie.
Some rewards are along the lines of $2 off a sandwich or $1 off a pastry, while others have included free Pick Twos or flatbread pizzas. This week, I redeemed two rewards: a free café latte, free muffin, and an iced tea that was pre-paid through my Unlimited Sip Club membership.
How to redeem a Panera Unlimited Sip Club membership
One you’ve subscribed to the Panera Unlimited Sip Club (AKA Panera Beverage Club), your membership status will appear in your rewards area on the My Cart page when you’re ready to check out. Whether you order via the kiosk or your Panera phone app, simply click Redeem. Or if you like to place your orders with live staff, they should ask if you’d like to redeem your reward.
If you ever forget your MyPanera card, the system can find you by the phone number you used during registration.
How often can you use your Panera Unlimited Sip Club Membership?
You can get an unlimited amount of one type of qualifying beverage per visit, every two hours. So for example, you can’t get an unlimited amount of both iced tea and coffee during the same visit (unless you pay for the second drink, of course). You can, however, get an unlimited amount of coffee (or whatever qualifying beverage you choose) in one visit, then two hours later during a separate visit, get an unlimited amount of iced tea or whichever qualifying beverage you choose.
What’s Included With a Panera Unlimited Sip Club Membership
Availability can vary by store, but this is what I’m currently eligible to receive in my area.
Brewed coffee. Flavors include dark roast, light roast, hazelnut, and decaffeinated
Iced coffee
Iced tea
Hot tea
Pepsi drinks, including Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper
Lemonade and lemonade chargers
What’s not included
Cold brew coffee
Espresso type drinks, like lattes and cappuccinos
Smoothies and frozen drinks
Bottled or container drinks
Panera-Coffee-Flavors
Is a Panera Unlimited Sip Club Membership Worth the Price?
It depends on what you like to drink, how often you visit Panera, and whether you like the taste of their beverages. I’m a regular at Panera and drink a lot of their brewed coffee and plain iced tea – so for me, membership is definitely worth the price.
Here are some numbers to help guide your decision.
What it would take to break even
It depends on the beverage, but say you like to order plain iced tea. At $3.19 for a large cup, you’d need to visit Panera about three visits per month to make membership worth your while. At $2.59 for a regular-sized of brewed hot coffee, you’d need to make about four visits per month.
Your savings could be more substantial, though
Using the coffee example above, if you normally visit Panera 12 separate times in a month, you’d save about $21 dollars (per month). Visiting 16 separate times per month would yield a savings of $31 per month. And 30 separate visits per month would save you about $67.
This number can go higher if you visit more often than this. If, for example, you drink coffee for breakfast, lunch, and dinner 30 times per month, that would be a savings of about $223.00 each month.
This is money you can use to buy something else, pay bills, or invest into a 401(k).
Additional Thoughts on Panera Beverage Club
Though I think Panera Unlimited Sip Club (Beverage Club) is an amazing value, if there’s one thing I could change, it would be the two-hour rule. While I understand that some people might abuse the program (like getting free drinks for everyone in their party), it’s just not practical to stop what you’re doing and return every two hours.
I’d also like to see Panera bring back their sugar-free flavored iced teas. Managers have offered to make them upon request, but it’s not the same as having them readily-available.
Panera is usually, in my experience, responsive to customer needs, so this may very well change at some point. It’s also a relatively new program, so I’m sure they’re still tweaking the details.
If you’re already spending money on drinks and visit Panera frequently enough, their beverage club is a decent investment.
What is the Panera Unlimited Sip Club Subscription?
For $10.99/month plus tax, you can enjoy any size drip hot coffee, charged lemonades, hot tea, iced coffee, lemonades, and fountain beverages every two (2) hours during regular bakery-café hours, including free refills of the same beverage at any participating U.S. Panera Bread bakery-cafes. You can choose any size drip hot coffee, charged lemonades, hot tea, iced coffee, lemonades, and fountain beverages when redeeming your subscription benefits. Cold Brew, espresso drinks, and other beverages are not included in your subscription.
How do I sign up for an Unlimited Sip Club Subscription?
You can subscribe online through the link you received in your email, on the web at PaneraBread.com/UnlimitedSipClub, in the Subscriptions section of the Panera Bread app, or at a kiosk where available in participating U.S. Panera Bread bakery-cafes.
What kinds of coffee can I get with my Unlimited Sip Club subscription?
Your subscription includes one (1) cup of drip hot coffee, charged lemonades, hot tea, iced coffee, lemonades, and fountain beverages every two (2) hours during regular bakery-cafe hours, including free refills of the same beverage at any participating U.S. Panera Bread bakery-cafes. Cold Brew, espresso drinks, Iced Tea, and other beverages are not included in your subscription.
How do I redeem my subscription?
It’s easy! Your Unlimited Sip Club Subscription benefits work just like MyPanera rewards. When placing an order, you can either swipe your MyPanera Card, enter your phone number, or log in to your MyPanera account to access your rewards. Look for a reward with the name “Daily Unlimited Sip Club” and redeem it as you normally would.
