It seems I’ve got coffee on the brain. I’ve written about supermarket instant coffee and machine drinks in supermarkets. But as the UK finally succumbs to the temptations of coffee over tea, it’s all very pertinent. Sixty-three per cent of us are now believed to be regular coffee drinkers, and the UK’s coffee shop market rose nine per cent in 2023, showing caffeine means big business.
It’s not just commuters who frequent coffee shops. The French have a word flânerie which doesn’t precisely translate into English, but it more or less means to spend time aimlessly enjoying one’s own company – whether by strolling, reading or watching theatre, or, as in my case, simply sitting in a coffee shop drinking coffee. I’d call myself a flâneur (not a lazy b*****, thank you very much) and, looking about in every coffee shop I visit, I’d say I’m far from the only one.
So, for those of us who spend big bucks on designer coffee, is it worth signing up to a subscription? This week, I’ll look at the rewards schemes for Pret, Gail’s, Leon, Blank Street and Black Sheep and see which one is best value for money. I’ll not be offering an opinion on their coffee products – but I will look at their price differences to see which one might save big bucks for customers.
Pret a Manger – Club Pret
Pret A Manger’s flagship subscription is Club Pret, which – depending on your coffee habits – might be worth a look in
(Image: Anna Barclay/Getty Images)
Pret A Manger is a major player in the UK’s coffee shop market and is to be found within spitting distance of rail stations in all of the UK’s large cities. The company’s flagship subscription is Club Pret, which – depending on your coffee habits – might be worth a look. For the princely sum of £5 a month (rising to £10 after March 31), you can order up to five drinks a day prepared by a barista, all half-price. You can claim the offer on just one drink at a time and must allow an interval of another half hour before ordering another.
Eligible drinks include any of Pret’s organic coffees, teas, hot chocolates, iced coffees, or Pret Coolers, although the firm points out drinks vary by shop and location and are subject to availability and store equipment. It’s also important to check your local Pret is not on the list of excluded shops from the scheme.
Pret states: “Save every day on your morning latte, espresso or a classic cuppa. Then save again if you fancy a refreshing cooler or an indulgent hot chocolate. They’re all in the deal.”
Even at £10 a month, Club Pret is a pretty good deal for commuters. Ordering just five coffees a month is enough to break even and if you typically order more than that, the potential savings could be significant. Users may want to confirm the eligible drinks with their local branch before signing up.
Gail’s loyalty programme
Gail’s loyalty program allows you to claim a free coffee or loaf of bread after collecting nine stamps
(Image: John Keeble/Getty Images)
Founded in 2005, Gail’s is Britain’s fastest-growing bakery chain, which, after conquering London, has begun to expand to other parts of the country since 2021.
For regular customers, Gail’s offers a loyalty programme. To collect your loyalty stamps, simply scan the app’s QR code at the till or place orders online on the app. A stamp will be automatically added to your account every time you make a purchase, and you can gain an extra stamp when ordering above £20. Once your stamp sheet is full (nine stamps) you can claim a free barista-made drink or a loaf of bread.
It’s a modest money-saving scheme with just one freebie for every nine purchases made. But on the the upside, it costs nothing and there’s nothing to lose in signing up, even if you’re not a daily visitor to Gail’s.
Leon – Roast Rewards
Leon’s Roast Rewards costs £25 a month and allows you to claim up to five barista-made drinks per day
(Image: Amber-Louise Large)
Leon is not messing about its loyalty scheme. It has unveiled Leon’s Roast Rewards, where for £25 a month, you can claim up to five barista-made drinks per day, along with a 20 per cent off the chain’s breakfast and all-day food menu (excluding meal deals). You can redeem just one coffee per hour, but the 20 per cent food discount can be used as frequently as the user likes.
Roast Rewards is only through the LEON Club App and can’t be used on the chain’s self-service kiosks yet. In addition to drinks and food discounts, users will also rack up loyalty points.
At £25 a month, this is more expensive than Club Pret’s £10 deal, but the five daily coffees in this instance are fully redeemable rather than half price. Sometimes with high risks, come high rewards and Leon’s scheme could do wonders if you’re looking for a coffee fix with a bargain. If you pass Leon regularly, you can more or less pop in to claim a free coffee throughout the day for £25.
Blank Street – Regulars
Blank Street’s rewards scheme Regulars offers discounts on coffee, pastries and merchandise
(Image: Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)
US coffee chain Blank Street is not well-known in the UK but it has started to cultivate an audience in London with 37 branches across the capital. For those who stroll through Blank Street’s doors regularly, it offers a loyalty scheme called Regulars that offers discounts on coffee, pastries and merchandise. To sign up, you need to join the waiting list via its app, which frustratingly, is currently full.
Blank Street has not published prices for its Regulars scheme in the UK. But once signed up, members can claim up to 14 free barista-made drinks per week (hot or iced, any size, including free milk alternatives and one extra flavour). Free drinks can be redeemed every 30 minutes. Regulars also enjoy a 20 per cent discount on any further drinks, and a 10 per cent discount on all other products.
On the face of it, these are decent perks but with a full waiting list and no published prices, accessibility may be a problem for those wanting to explore this emerging coffee powerhouse.
Black Sheep – Loyalty app
Black Sheep has a points-based loyalty scheme similar to Gail’s
(Image: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)
London-based Black Sheep Coffee has risen from a left of field outsider in 2014, when two former University flatmates raised £23,000 via Kickstarter to open their first shop, to a multi-million pound business with 69 branches across the UK. Now, customers who download Black Sheep’s app can benefit from its loyalty scheme. Simply scan the app’s QR code whenever making a purchase in-store and you will accumulate points, with a wide variety of rewards listed on its app.
It’s a free signup, low risk model similar to Gail’s loyalty scheme, but one which may also appeal to non-regular customers who won’t lose out by signing up. And, even if you visit Black Sheep only once a week or less, those loyalty points will still add up.
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And the winner is…
At £10, Club Pret is a modestly priced and affordable rewards scheme
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In my humble view, I have to push for Club Pret as the winner here. At £10 a month, this is a modestly-priced and affordable rewards scheme that offers obvious benefits to anyone ordering more than one coffee a week – if you’re a commuter in there day after day, the half-price coffee savings will easily add up to well in excess of £10. It’s a similar case for Leon’s Roast Rewards, which, although more expensive at £25, offers five daily redeemable coffees entirely free – savings which can easily topple £25 if you’re fancying getting a regular coffee fix, not to mention 20 per cent off food.
But Gail’s and Black Sheep’s loyalty schemes are not to be sniffed at, and are free to use – making them accessible even to infrequent customers, and they’re easy to stay organised with thank to their respective apps. Blank Street would do well to publish more information about its Regulars scheme and its waiting list.
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