Waitrose’s amazing coffee and hot drinks deal is back after being put on pause during the Covid pandemic.
When originally first launched in 2013, the offer had almost been too good to be true, with myWaitrose loyalty card holders able to sip on free coffee whenever they wanted.
In 2017, the shop introduced the rule that card-carrying customers had to have bought something before claiming their beverage.
With the freebie back on offer from November 7 in 331 stores, one personal finance podcaster reckons he has found a way of spending as little as possible to qualify for the deal.
His cheeky method of scouring the fruit and veg aisle could possibly save thirsty shoppers hundreds of pounds per year.
How to get a hot drink from Waitrose for as little as 1p
Andy Webb, host of Cash Chats podcast, told listeners that there was “no minimum value” to the item customers purchase so as to redeem their hot drink.
That means even a 1p purchase by a myWaitrose member would fulfil Waitrose's criteria.
In podcast published this week, Mr Webb said: "Back in 2017 — for laughs, I didn’t necessarily think anyone would do this seriously — when they announced this I popped down to my local Waitrose for the challenge to see what was the cheapest thing I could find.
“As soon as I walked into the supermarket, it became very clear to me where I might be able to find the cheapest item in a Waitrose store — this was in the loose fruit and veg.
“So I looked to see what were the smallest things I could find — maybe a Brussels sprout. They are unsurprisingly heavy for their size, there is a lot of mass going on with them, so that wasn’t quite right.
“I tried a little cherry tomato and that was a lot lighter, and that was a lot cheaper — I think that was down to three pence.
“I thought 3p, that’s not bad. But I also managed to find among some loose mushrooms a tiny, tiny, such a small mushroom, that when I weighed it, it came in at 1p.
“So effectively, that purchase would qualify for the free drink for your free tea or coffee in a Waitrose store under the offer — and the same thing would happen now."
Mr Webb said he would encourage shoppers to buy something they “actually need”, however, rather than intentionally going for the lowest priced item.
Also, with the money blogger's experiment carried out five years ago, it is also possible inflation means even a tiny lightweight mushroom no longer comes in at 1p.
How much could the Waitrose coffee deal save you?
Personal finance journalist Mr Webb said the deal could end up saving customers money, even if what they are actually after is more expensive in Waitrose than other shops.
Whatever the premium is for the item, such as a piece of fruit or snack, then that effectively is how much you are paying for the tea or coffee, he remarked.
Using the example of a chocolate bar you want possibly being 20p more in Waitrose but coming with a free coffee, Mr Webb said: “I know that you can spend anything from £2.50 for a very basic [hot drink], to five or six quid.
“Let’s say you’re paying £2.50 or £2.30 for a coffee, even if you knock off that 20p premium that you may well be paying [for the chocolate bar]… if you do that just once a week for the whole year, you’ve made £110 easily.”
“That to me is fantastic. Do that more than once a week, maybe twice a week, then double that.
"If you’re buying a more expensive coffee, and you’re saving yourself £4.50, £5 by doing it this way, then that’s going to be even more [saved], huge amounts a year via this special offer.”
There is another catch to this though.
Shoppers will need to bring their own cup to avoid being charged £4 for a reusable one.
Through the deal, customers can get their hands on a free americano, latte and cappuccino, or cup of tea.
Without the myWaitrose offer, tea costs £2.25 and coffees are priced from £2.35 at the Waitrose hot drinks dispensers.
