How To Get Free Food at Panera Bread! {21 Easy Hacks} The Frugal Girls

I may get paid for ads or purchases made through links in this post.

Pause your week and enjoy a fun break for Free Food at Panera Bread! Have you tried any of these easy hacks yet?

Are you craving some of those dreamy pastries from Panera? Or maybe one of those amazing salads, soups, or sandwiches? Or how about some crazy decadent mac and cheese? If you’re wondering… ‘How Can I Eat Cheap at Panera’, you’ve just hit the jackpot!

With so many easy ways to save money, sneaky ordering hacks, and simple ways to earn free gift cards… it’s time to treat yourself!

So are you ready to learn how to get FREE food from Panera or just eat cheap?

Here’s everything you need to know BEFORE you order from Panera Bread…

Free Food at Panera Bread

#1: Never Leave Home Without a FREE Panera Gift Card!

I seriously LOVE loading up on FREE restaurant gift cards from Swagbucks!! With Swagbucks you earn SB Points by watching videos, taking short surveys, shopping online and more. To help you get started fast, use promo code FRUGAL100 when you sign up for 100 free points. Then… don’t miss it! I’ve put together 16 easy tips to help you start earning as many Swagbucks points as possible.

Scoring free food at Panera is such a fun way to reward yourself…

Go here to sign up for your Free Swagbucks account
When signing up, select ‘I have a sign up code’ (see below)
Enter code: FRUGAL100 for 100 SB points {code is case sensitive ~ sometimes it works better to type it, rather than copying and pasting it}
Don’t stop earning SB Points! Learn even more ways to earn SB Points with these 16 Ways to Earn More Swagbucks SB Points. More SB points = More Gift Cards!
Cash in your “SB points” for FREE Gift Cards to Panera Bread!
I personally LOVE using Swagbucks, and have been cashing in SB Points to get Free Gift Cards for 10 years now!

Here are some Swagbucks Reviews shared by your frugal friends…

“I love Swagbucks!” ~ Brenda

“It totally works, I make a great extra income with this.” ~ Sean

“Swagbucks is widely considered one of the top companies online to receive free rewards. They constantly update the website with fresh ways to earn money, gift cards, and other rewards free of charge. The 16 tips you mentioned for people to earn with them will have people cashing out in no time. So many free easy ways to earn. I always try to hit my daily goal for easy Swagbucks 🙂” ~ Cacey

After you sign up with Swagbucks… here are the 16 Best Ways to Earn More Swagbucks SB Points!

More Easy Ways To Save Money and Enjoy Free Food at Panera…

Now that you know how to score yourself a Free Panera Gift Card, use your free gift card with these ordering hacks to save even more money!

#2: Get a FREE Pastry or Sweet Treat When You Sign up for MyPanera Rewards!

Who doesn’t love free treats? Sign up here for a free MyPanera Rewards account, and get your first reward just for signing up! {usually a free pastry or sweet treat}

Then… you’ll earn points every time you dine at Panera Bread, which will turn into more FREE food!

#3: Get a FREE Birthday Treat from Panera Every Year!

When signing up for MyPanera Rewards, make sure to enter your birthdate {an optional field}. This will ensure you get your Panera Birthday Freebie each year!

#4: Download the Panera Bread App for More FREEBIES All Year Long!

Diane writes: “They give freebies ALL the time if you have their app. Love it!”

#5: Ask For Your Apple to Be Sliced, with a Side of FREE Honey for Dipping!

You know the apple that comes on the side with your meal? Well… for no extra charge you can ask for it to be sliced, and also request a free side of honey for dipping! Just trust me… it’s delicious!

#6: Skip the Bottled Water, and Get FREE Filtered Ice Water Instead!

Craving water? Skip that bottled water, which will run you around $2.00 and just ask for a free ice water instead. Sometimes I even take my favorite tea or drink in a cooler that I’ve purchased on grocery store sales, and drink it in my car while I’m out and about after I leave the restaurant. Restaurant drinks have high markups, so it’s such a simple way to save when dining out! Plus… why pay for a water bottle, when you can get a larger filtered water for FREE, right?

#7: Or Order a Small Drink & Get Unlimited FREE Refills!

Or if you’re dining in at Panera and can’t pass on your favorite free drink, always order a ‘Small’ drink. Refills are self-serve, unlimited, and free, so it’s an easy way to save more money!

#8: Take Advantage of FREE Coffee Refills, Too!

Did you know Panera offers free coffee refills? Um… yes, please! When ordering a coffee at Panera, always be sure to order a Small Cup and take advantage of free coffee refills to sweeten the deal on your cup of Joe even more!

#9: Or Get 3 Months of FREE Unlimited Coffee!

So are you wondering… how do I get Free Panera Coffee all the time? Well… if you visit Panera often, they actually have a MyPanera Coffee+ monthly club you can join where you’ll get unlimited coffee drinks when you’re there for $8.99/mo. However, right now if you sign up you can get 3 months FREE!

#10: Swap Your Sandwich Bread for a Croissant… for FREE!

Craving a buttery croissant with those dreamy, fluffy layers? When you order your sandwich, simply ask to swap your bread for a croissant. There’s no extra charge!

#11: Going Meatless? Substitute Meat for Avocado on your Sandwich, and Skip the Upcharge!

If you want a meatless sandwich, rather than asking for a veggie sandwich and ‘Adding’ Avocado for an additional charge, simply order a regular meat sandwich and ask to ‘Substitute’ the meat for Avocado at no additional charge. Such an easy, sneaky way to save!

#12: You Can Also Add Extra Veggies To Your Sandwich for FREE!

Want to load up on even more veggies? You can ask to add on extra Cucumbers, Spinach, Tomato, and/or Red Onion to any sandwich for FREE!

#13: Extra Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo, and Honey is FREE, too!

If you need extra condiments… Panera also offers extra Ketchup, Mustard, Mayonnaise and Honey free of charge!

#14: Get 99c Cookies and Pastries When You Buy a Meal + Drink!

If you’ll be buying a meal + a drink, now is the time to splurge on dessert! At this point, the cookies and pastries will be marked down to just 99 cents as an add on!

#15: Ask for a Discount on Cookies in the Evening!

If you’re not buying a meal + a drink, but still would like a deal on cookies, just ask for a discount! We were recently at Panera and asked the cashier if they had any deals on cookies, other than the 99c add-on deal. She said since it was getting later in the evening, she could offer us any cookies we wanted for 50% off. Score!

#16: Buy Your Bagels on Tuesdays!

You’ve heard of Taco Tuesday, but did you know Bagel Tuesday is a thing, too? Every Tuesday, at most locations, you’ll be able to score a sweet deal on a Baker’s Dozen of Bagels! {usually about $4 off}

#17: Split a Meal, Add a Cookie & order 2 Small Drinks!

Another simple way to save on Panera is to simply split a meal with your friend or date, add on a cookie, and order two small drinks! You’ll each end up with unlimited free refills on your drinks, and can then split your sandwich, split the cookie, and split the side! {apple slices, baguette, or potato chips} Even though it’s a little smaller, you’ll be surprise at how satisfying the meal will be, and you’ll save BIG, too!

#18: Check Your Email for More Offers!

When you join MyPanera Rewards, make sure to enter your email address, then keep a close eye on your emails for exclusive offers. Just the other day I received an email from Panera with a promo code for 50% off my next delivery order. Cha-ching!

#19: Then Follow Panera on Social Media for More Sweet Deals

Be the first to know about even more promotional deals when you follow Panera Bread on social media!

#20: Take Advantage of the FREE Panera Curbside Pickup!

If you don’t want to go inside your local Panera, you can also take advantage of FREE curbside pickup at select restaurants. Check here to see if your local Panera offers this service, then follow the website instructions for how to pickup the items you’ve ordered!

#21: You Can Even Become a Baker at Panera, and Eat FREE!

And if you want even more free food at Panera, frugal friend Linda writes: “Become a Baker here and eat free each and every shift!”

#22: Get a BIG Cash Signup Bonus + Earn Cash Back or Rewards When Eating Out with These Credit Cards!

When it comes to credit cards, my favorites are the ones that offer BIG signup bonuses and BIG rewards or cash back every time I use them. When used responsibly, Credit Cards can be a great way to save even more money… and make a little on the side with bonuses, too!

Check out my favorite Cash Back & BIG Signup Bonus Credit Cards here…

Credit Card Hacking {How to Save BIG With Signup Bonuses & Cash Back}

I’ve got even more tips to help you score deals at your favorite restaurants. When you can score this many deals, you can afford to splurge a whole lot more often. Saving money has never been more rewarding!

20 Starbucks Money Saving Hacks {Little Known Tricks}

Start saving money and getting free coffee with these easy Starbucks Money Saving Hacks!

Free Dunkin Donuts Gift Cards + 6 Dunkin’ Hacks to Save More Money!

Calling all coffee lovers… it’s time to save money and score some Free Dunkin Donuts Gift Cards!

8 Krispy Kreme Deals and Hacks

Before you order that next dozen of your favorite donuts… make sure you know the very best ways to score Krispy Kreme Deals!

How To Get Free Domino’s Pizza {14 Deals + Ordering Hacks}

Pizza is fun, but free pizza is even better. That’s why I want to show you how to get free Domino’s Pizza!

Free Papa John’s Gift Card + 10 Smart Ordering Hacks! {Enjoy a Free Pizza Day!}

Every day should be free pizza day… and scoring a Free Papa John’s Gift Card is the best way to enjoy your pizza! Seriously… the only thing better than pizza is Free Pizza!

How To Get Free Food at Burger King + 8 Ordering Hacks!

You’ll be surprised by how easy it is to score free food at Burger King!

How To Get A Free Red Robin Burger + 10 Menu Hacks!

Check out this easy tip for how to get a Free Red Robin Burger. Everything tastes better when it’s free, including the gourmet burgers at Red Robin!

Free Buffalo Wild Wings Gift Cards + 9 Easy Ways to Save Money!

Save yourself money two different ways when you score yourself some Free Buffalo Wild Wings Gift Cards!

Get a Free Chili’s Gift Card + 8 Insider Ordering Hacks! {My Favorite Tips}

Are you ready for some guilt free dining out? Then let’s start by converting some of your free time into a free night out at Chili’s!

How To Eat For Free at Texas Roadhouse + 10 Genius Ordering Hacks

When you know how to eat free at Texas Roadhouse, going out to eat gets a whole lot more fun!

Get Free Uber Eats + 7 Brilliant Money Saving Tricks!

Have more fun this weekend when you know how to get Free Uber Eats!

101+ Birthday Freebies For Adults and Kids! {Treat Yourself!}

Get seriously spoiled on your birthday {and during your birthday week} with these fun freebies and awesome birthday coupons from your favorite restaurants and stores!