Pret A Manger’s subscribers are encountering difficulties claiming their free coffees due to issues with the chain’s app.
Some of the sandwich specialist’s loyal users are considering alternatives for their caffeine fix amid the trouble, The Telegraph reports.
The Club Pret membership offers the perk of ordering up to five barista-made drinks daily for a monthly fee of £30.
However, a recent crackdown was implemented to prevent subscribers from sharing free drinks with others. Some customers were exploiting loopholes by sharing subscription benefits, prompting changes.
Effective 18 March, subscribers are now required to use the app to redeem their complimentary drinks, rather than accessing QR codes via Apple Wallet or smartwatches.
But many have aired their concerns, saying the changes make it harder to claim the offer, with some reporting technical issues when trying to access the app.
Others have cancelled their subscriptions alltogther amid the “faff” the updates have caused, with some questioning how they would be able to access the app if they were in a chain without signal.
In response, Pret said subscribers are able to access their QR code while offline once subscribers are logged in to the app.
Many have taken to social media to air their greivances, one subscriber said on X: “The @Pret app is so useless. It is giving me rage.”
With another user saying: “Pret moving their subscription from a wallet pay to an app based thing is a bad decision. Just a bit more logistical work but the UX is just annoying.”
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In response, a Pret spokesman said: “We recently updated how Club Pret subscribers access their QR codes as we continue to invest in our digital offer for customers. Live QR codes are now available to all subscribers exclusively via the Pret App.”
“Our app is currently functioning as normal, but some customers may still need to complete the login process to access their new codes. Anyone with problems accessing their code can contact our customer support team who will be happy to help.”
Last year, the business revealed it would be raising the price of its monthly coffee subscription service by 20% to £30 as it rebranded to ‘Club Pret’.
It initially charged £20 a month, increasing it to £25 in February 2023.
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