Panera Bread is trying to lure customers with a timely enticement that is neither food nor drink:
Extended Wi-Fi.
The fast-casual chain is targeting parents who are juggling working from home while their kids attend virtual school.
“As one of the first restaurants to offer free Wi-Fi, Panera has now extended its Wi-Fi radius beyond the bakery-cafe doors, so people can pick up coffee for Curbside pick-up and catch the break that parents so desperately need,” Panera said in a new release.
Panera is giving away a month of free Wi-Fi to the first 2,020 people who sign up for the chain’s unlimited coffee subscription, starting Thursday.
The chain is also giving away a free baked good to those who sign up for a coffee subscription through the end of the week.
"Kids are going back to school in-person and virtually across the country, and once again parents are taking on more work and stress than ever before," said Eduardo Luz, Panera’s chief brand and concept officer, in a statement. "Panera's free, unlimited, premium coffee can help get you through the day, and the added bonus of Panera's Wi-Fi-enabled parking lots and Curbside pick-up can give you a few minutes to recharge and a quick meal solution.”
Panera launched its coffee subscription program in March, right at the outset of the pandemic. By July, the chain said it had signed up more than three-quarters of a million people for the $8.99-a-month unlimited coffee subscription.
Since the program’s debut, Panera has provided frequent enticements to sign up, including a refer-a-friend program and free coffee for those who registered earlier in the summer.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.