How To Get Free Food at Panera Bread! {24 Easy Hacks} The Frugal Girls

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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 wondering how to get Free Food at Panera? It’s SO easy!!

So are you craving a sweet pastry and cup of coffee 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’ or ‘What Can You Get For Free 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 Panera free food 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

“Been using for many years, best ways to get cash back on where you shop” ~ Alexis

“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!

#2: Pay Through the Panera App with FREE PayPal Gift Cards!

Did you know that you can use PayPal when checking out through the Panera App? Go start collecting FREE PayPal Gift Cards when you take surveys with Survey Junkie. Once you reach 1,000 points, you can cash out your points for a $10 PayPal Gift Card!

#3: 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 for Panera free food 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. Like free sandwiches, salads and more!

#4: 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!

#5: 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!”

#6: 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!

#7: Going Meatless? Substitute Avocado for Meat 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!

#8: 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!

#9: 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!

#10: You Can Add Flavor with Extra Ketchup, Spicy Deli Mustard, Hot Sauce, & Mayo, too!

In addition to the free side of Honey, crank up the flavor with more fun free condiments! Panera also offers extra Ketchup, Spicy Deli Mustard, Hot Sauce, and Mayonnaise free of charge!

#11: 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?

#12: 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!

#13: 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!

#14: Or Get a FREE Drink Every 2 Hours When You Join the Unlimited Sip Club!

Can you get free drinks at Panera? You sure can! First you’ll need to join the Panera Unlimited Sip Club. Membership is $10.99/month, but once you join you can score any size FREE Coffee, Tea, Fountain Drinks, and even Charged Lemonades every 2 hours! I love picking up these Panera drinks when I’m out and about running errands, or on a frugal date night with my hubby!

#15: Get Cash Back on Every Order + a BIG Sign Up Bonus! {up to $200}

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}

#16: 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!

#17: 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!

#18: 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}

#19: 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!

#20: Check Your Email for More Offers! {I just got 50% Off!}

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!

#21: 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!

#22: 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!

#23: 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!”

#24: Eat Free at Panera With Your FREE Visa Gift Card!

I love how you can use a Free Visa Gift Card to eat free at Panera, too! Check out how you can score yours for free!

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!

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