Pret A Manger launched their new £20 monthly subscription service YourPret Barista in late 2020.

In this full, detailed guide, I’ll show you how to sign up, go through all the T&Cs and help you work out if it’ll save you money in the long run.

Contents

How Does YourPret Work?
What Can You Order?
How Much Does It Cost?
Where Can You Use It?
Will You Save Money? - 4 Scenarios
How To Cancel YourPret
Why The Shift In Pret's Business Model?

How Does YourPret Barista Work?

Sign up to YourPret on their website (age 18 and over only) and they’ll send you a QR voucher code by email every month
Download the voucher to your mobile wallet (Apple Wallet on iPhone or Google Pay on Android)
Order your item and scan your QR code (mobile wallet, email or print-out) at the checkout
Make up to 5 orders per day (1 redemption every 30 minutes)

What Can You Order With YourPret?

You can order most drinks that are prepared ‘by the barista’ by there are some exclusions:

Included Drinks: Organic Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate and Iced Coffee
Included Alternatives/Extras: Alternative milk, syrup and extra coffee shots
Excluded Drinks: Cold Brew, Frappes, Most Smoothies, Cocoa, Almond Butter & Banana Smoothie, Raspberry, Mango & Ginger Smoothie, and Avocado, Mango and Ginger Smoothies

Due to Covid-19, you can’t currently get YourPret drinks in reusable cups.

How Much Does YourPret Cost?

YourPret costs £20 per month (£240 per year) and you get your 1st month free of charge.

You may see a £1 charge when you sign up but that’s just to verify your card details. The £1 will be refunded to your account within 3 working days.

The sub itself has to be bought online, you can’t subscribe at a Pret location. They accept MasterCard, Visa and American Express.

I’d recommend using an Amex card since they offer a good point-return on spend. The American Express Rewards Card (Referral Bonus: Earn a boosted 6,000 Point sign up bonus through my link) , for example, earns you 1 point per £1 spent (1000 points = Between £5 and £34 depending on the redemption).

The Pret subscription (taken by direct debit) renews automatically at the start of every month. So if you start the subscription on the 20th of this month, you’ll get billed on the 20th of next month.

Where Can You Use YourPret?

YourPret is available across all Pret locations in the UK with one exception. The one excluded Pret shop is at South Mimms Services (Welcome Break) just north of London (A1M - M25 Junction).

You have to order with Pret directly so you can’t order through Deliveroo or UbetEats and take advantage of your Pret subscription.

Will You Save Money Using YourPret?

YourPret might give you endless refills but it could save you money or cost you money, it all depends on your habits. At £240 per year, YourPret costs 65p per day. With the caveat that Pret prices vary across the country, I’ve imagined 4 scenarios below:

Scenario 1: Commuter, A Pret Coffee Per Weekday

You normally spend £2.30 on a Latte every weekday morning. Not taking into account holidays, you’re spending £600 on Pret drinks every year. At £240 per year, YourPret will save you around £360 per year.

Scenario 2: Home Coffee-Maker

You make your tea/coffee at home. A cup of tea costs around 4p, a Nespresso Latte Capsule (once you’ve got the machine) costs you 25p. You buy a £20 reusable Chilly Bottle from Amazon.

Once you’ve got the equipment, your at-home tea and coffee costs between £15 and £90 per year. So, YourPret is costing you between £150 and £225 extra per year.

Scenario 3: Free Trial Exploiter

You know a great deal when you see one! One whole month of YourPret for free, then, you cancel! You buy a coffee a day valued at £70 over your free trial month. YourPret earned you £70 in value!

Scenario 4: Frugal Expert, 5 Drinks Per Day, Every Day!

Being the frugal expert that you are, you want to take full advantage of your Pret subscription. You’ve paid for 5 drinks per day, you’re getting 5 drinks per day! Valued at around £11.50 per day, or over £4000+ per year, YourPret is saving you £3760+ per year! (plus, you’re very well hydrated).

Bearing in mind the 1 item per 30 minute redemption limit, if you’re out for a coffee with a friend or family member, you could treat them to a drink and then get yourself one 30 minutes later.

How To Cancel Your Pret Subscription

YourPret has no minimum contract period. To cancel YourPret, go to ‘Manage Account’, login and under ‘Manage Your Subscription’, hit ‘Cancel Subscription’.

You won’t get any refund but you can continue to use your Pret subscription until the end of your sub month. That means that you can technically sign up and cancel pretty much straight away if you just want to take advantage of the free trial.

Why The Shift In Pret's Business Model?

There’s no doubt about it, YourPret is a big shake-up to the industry. Subscription services have become the new consumer norm, whether it’s film, tv, music or coffee!

Covid-19 hit commuter numbers hard and coffee chains have struggled as a result. Pret cut 2,800 jobs in the summer of 2020 as it struggled with low footfall. YourPret aims to win back some of that lost business and encourage consumers to pick them, regularly, over competitors.

The question now? Will this become the new norm and will others follow suit?

Have you signed up to YourPret? Comment below, ask on Twitter @AndrewYBlogs or Instagram @capitalmattersblog