$9 bucks for a month of coffee. Whaaat?
Panera Bread has brewed up a hot proposition that's sure to get caffeine addicts buzzing: A bottomless cup of joe.
For $8.99 a month with Panera's new coffee subscription program, get unlimited hot or iced coffee for less than the average price of five cups at the St. Louis-based fast-casual chain. One cup daily in a 30-day month averages around 30 cents a cup.
Panera CEO Niren Chaudhary told USA TODAY the idea is to disrupt the industry with a program unlike any others.
"There are no ifs and buts, this is truly unlimited access to coffee for a monthly subscription of $8.99," Chaudhary said, noting all cup sizes are included and time of day doesn't matter.
If you read the fine print, there are some conditions, but both are reasonable.
First, no sharing of the subscription.
Second, subscription can only be used once in a 2-hour period. Meaning, you are limited to 7 cups of coffee per day, assuming the store is open from 7am to 9pm.
Both of those make perfect sense to me.
If I was a coffee drinker, especially if I lived near a Panera, this would definitely be a consideration.
Grace & Peace & Love to you all -
Matt