Panera is a popular bakery-café restaurant known for its different dishes such as salads, pastries, sandwiches, and of course, its drinks. If you often go to Panera, you most likely have a favorite food and drink to order.
When I have a favorite food or drink at a restaurant, I always order it, especially when I’m not in the mood to try new things. There are even times when I wish I could get it all day but I don’t want to pay extra to get another glass.
If you have a favorite drink at Panera, say the lemonade or just the coffee, you might be happy to know that you can have a free drink every two hours with the Panera Sip Club.
But, before getting that subscription, you have to consider if it is worth getting depending on your spending habits and other factors.
In this article, I will be talking about the pros and cons of a Panera Sip Club subscription to help you decide if it is a worthy monthly expense.
In this article:
- What is the Panera Sip Club?
- Pros of Joining Panera’s Sip Club
- Cons of Panera’s Sip Club
- How to Get a Panera Sip Club Membership
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What is the Panera Sip Club?
The Panera Sip Club is Panera’s monthly beverage subscription where you can get any sized drinks for free every two hours. Well, technically it’s not free since you are paying a monthly subscription for it.
As of this writing, the monthly subscription costs $14.99 plus tax and you can also get free refills of the same drink. If you are part of the Sip Club, you can redeem your subscription benefits at any participating Panera Bread bakery-café.
You can redeem any one of these drinks every two hours during regular bakery-café hours: any size drip hot coffee, hot tea, iced coffee, iced tea, Charged Sips, lemonade, or fountain beverage.
Other drinks not included in this list, like the espresso-based drinks, are not part of the subscription and you have to pay the regular amount if you want to get those drinks.
To be a part of the Panera Sip Club, you have to be a MyPanera Member and at least 18 years old. The MyPanera Rewards Member is free so you’ll only have to pay for the Sip Club.
Pros of Joining Panera’s Sip Club
Who says no to a free drink? Well, if you really think about it, the monthly subscription does not make it free. But, if you go to a Panera store and redeem your Sip Club benefits, you are technically getting it for free since you are not paying for it upfront.
If you go to Panera often, then your drink will pay for itself after 3 to 4 drinks.
Depending on the Panera’s location, a lemonade can cost about $3.69. You have to go to Panera at least 4 to 5 times a month to get your money’s worth.
If you don’t have a Sip Club subscription, those 5 drinks that cost $3.69 will total $18.45 already. Buying two Panera lemonades twice daily without a subscription will already cost $36.9.
With a Panera Sip Club subscription, you technically just pay for the first 4 lemonades and get the rest for free. If you live or work near Panera, I’d say a Sip Club subscription is worth it.
Another benefit of being a Panera Sip Club member is you are not limited to just the lemonade. As I mentioned earlier, you can redeem any of these drinks:
- Hot coffee
- Hot tea
- Iced coffee
- Iced tea
- Charged Sips
- Fountain beverage
You don’t have to stick to your favorite Panera drink and try other drinks that are included in the Sip Club benefits. Refills are also one of the benefits of the Sip Club membership.
But, do take note that the refills are only for the same drink that you redeemed. You can get another drink after two hours and you’ll get unlimited refills for that drink as well.
Cons of Panera’s Sip Club
You’d think that free drinks and unlimited refills wouldn’t have any cons, right? Surprisingly, it does.
As I mentioned earlier, the Sip Club is a monthly subscription plan. You’ll have to pay $14.99 plus tax every month to redeem your Sip Club membership.
If you don’t really like the beverages included in the Sip Club membership, it’s definitely not going to be worth your money. You’ll end up paying a monthly fee that you won’t likely reap the benefits from. It’s like giving Panera free money!
If you don’t live near any Panera locations, it may not be worth getting a subscription. The Sip Club offers a $0 delivery fee but, you have to purchase something to get your free drink delivered.
Depending on the location, you may also have to spend a minimum of $8 to $10 to avail of the free delivery. If you only want to get drinks, this may just add to your expense instead.
If you have medical conditions like type 2 diabetes or are trying to cut added sugar to your diet, you won’t be able to enjoy the drinks as they can be high in sugar.
How to Get a Panera Sip Club Membership
To become a Panera Sip Club member, you have to become a MyPanera member as well. As I mentioned earlier, the MyPanera membership is free.
To be a MyPanera member, you can sign up at Panera’s website.
Once you are signed up, you can join the Panera Sip Club by filling up another online form. You’ll have to put your credit card details since your card will be charged automatically each month.
Before getting the Sip Club membership, make sure to check if the Panera near you is a participating store.
Final Thoughts
So, have you decided if the Panera Sip Club is worth it?
I’d say it is worth getting if you are a frequent Panera goer and always get drinks that are included in the Sip Club benefits. You’ll definitely save a lot, especially if you like Panera’s drinks.
If you don’t go to Panera often but will go out of your way to redeem your Sip Club benefits, I’d say it can also be worth getting. But, if you don’t go to Panera often and or you typically buy the food items, getting a Sip Club membership may not be worth it.
Think about your spending habits when it comes to Panera drinks and how often you go to Panera. At the end of the day, the choice to become a part of the Sip Club member will depend on you.
