Waitrose to bring back free perk which had shoppers queuing around the corner
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MyWaitrose members can claim a free hot drink from January 27. Waitrose has heard the calls from their loyal customers and is set to bring back free hot drinks for shoppers - even if they do not buy anything in store. The upmarket supermarket has told members of its loyalty scheme that from 27 January, they can get one complimentary drink per day if they use a reusable cup.
![[The upmarket supermarket has told members of its loyalty scheme that from January 27, they can get one complimentary drink per day if they use a reusable cup.]](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2018/12/14/11/reusable-coffee-mug-0.jpg)
The perk - which entitles customers to a free americano, cappuccino, latte, or tea - was first introduced in 2013. Four years later, the terms changed to only allow customers who had shopped in store to bag a free drink. The scheme was completely scrapped during the pandemic but was slowly being reintroduced by Dame Sharon White, the former chair of the John Lewis Partnership.
![[It was revealed in November that high-street rival M&S had overtaken Waitrose in market share for the first time outside the Christmas period.]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/06/00/cf3e56291a31f69bf92c4fc2e5e944f1Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM2MTc2ODY5-2.19329003.jpg)
A spokesperson for Waitrose said: “Some of our members like to have their free coffee before or during their shop, rather than afterwards, so we are just offering a bit of flexibility in response to customer feedback.”. “In practice, lots of customers do this already, so this is just a formality as part of updated T&Cs.”.
To claim from a free drink from a store’s self-service machine, you must bring your own cup and be a MyWaitrose member - which you can sign up for free for online. An email sent to members of its loyalty scheme read: “You’ll be able to get your free hot drink without buying anything in store first. Don’t forget your reusable cup!”.
