Hearing about Pret-A-Manger’s plans to cancel their coffee subscription was a blow to the student body like no other, perhaps only comparable to Tesco’s painstakingly long renovation last year. The late-capitalist utopia of walking out with a fresh hot drink five times a day ‘without’ paying is over. But worry not! Here are five ways to satisfy your caffeine addiction around campus without breaking the bank.*
* You, Blank Street Coffee lovers, move on — this is not for you!
1. Pret Filter Coffee
Just when we thought there was no coming back from Pret’s knife-twisting betrayal, the good old marketing team announced the 99p filter coffee deal. Sure, you’ll have to swallow your pride alongside the bitter taste of Pret’s filter coffee, but hey – it’s free caffeine at this point.
Price: £0.99/cup; £0.49 if you bring your own cup 😉
2. LEON Subscription
Pret has almost given up on students, but, lo and behold, we’ve got a new hero — LEON introduced a monthly subscription. For just £25, you get five drinks per day with their LEON app. You can get one coffee every hour. Thank us later!
Price: £25/month
3. King’s Cafés
Maybe Pret’s decision to take away our five-a-day is a good occasion to support our own King’s cafes. The Shack, Roots Café, the River Terrace Café on Strand and Guy’s Café at Guy’s are only some of them. While there are definitely cheaper options out there, their coffee tastes great.
Price: From £2; £0.25 off if you bring your own cup
4. The New Pret Scheme
Somehow Pret managed to make it to this list twice… Like the toxic ex-situationship you keep coming back to, they’ve come back with a new (much less attractive) offer. Coffee and other drinks are half-price and you get 20% off food. So if you just can’t hack the filter coffee, this one is for you.
Price: £5/month for 50% off their drinks menu
5. Bring Home-Made Coffee
Of course, you can bring your own coffee from home. But if you’re so awake in the morning that you’ve got time to prepare your coffee, aren’t you already awake enough? Anyways, to each their own – bringing your own brew is also an option.
Price: very little
With exam season looming over the jolly holiday spirit of December, at least our coffee needs are sorted. May this caffeinated survival kit help you on your way!
