Apple today sent out emails highlighting a new U.S. Apple Pay promotion, which will see Panera Bread offering four months of unlimited free coffee to those who sign up for a MyPanera+ Coffee subscription and use Apple Pay to check out.
New subscribers who sign up for a MyPanera+ subscription by January 27, 2021 can get the first four months free. After that, the subscription is priced at $8.99 per month. Using Apple Pay for the subscription is a requirement.
MyPanera+ subscribers who swap their payment method to Apple Pay are eligible to get a free cookie. The MyPanera+ program offers unlimited premium coffee (up to every two hours) in any size. Hot tea and iced coffee are included, as are unlimited refills, but espresso, iced cold brew coffee, iced tea, and cappuccino are excluded.
Panera Bread is also an Apple Card partner that offers three percent Daily Cash back on Apple Card purchases made at Panera Bread locations.
Saturday April 11, 2026 9:14 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly a year later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
CarPlay Ultra...
As we wait for WWDC to kick off next Monday, Apple today announced the winners of its annual Apple Design Awards, recognizing apps and games for their innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement.
The 2025 Apple Design Award winners are listed below, with one app and one game selected per category:
Delight and Fun - CapWords (App) and Balatro (Game)
Innovation - Play (App) and PBJ -...
Saturday April 11, 2026 9:07 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
While the AirPods Max 2 received more attention, Apple also released a second pair of headphones last month: Nike Powerbeats Pro 2.
Nike Powerbeats Pro 2 are the same as the regular Powerbeats Pro 2, except they have a two-tone design consisting of black and Nike's signature Volt neon green-yellow color. The headphones were released on March 20 in the U.S., Canada, Australia, the U.K., and a ...
Saturday April 11, 2026 9:14 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly a year later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
CarPlay Ultra...
As we wait for WWDC to kick off next Monday, Apple today announced the winners of its annual Apple Design Awards, recognizing apps and games for their innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement.
The 2025 Apple Design Award winners are listed below, with one app and one game selected per category:
Delight and Fun - CapWords (App) and Balatro (Game)
Innovation - Play (App) and PBJ -...
Saturday April 11, 2026 9:07 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
While the AirPods Max 2 received more attention, Apple also released a second pair of headphones last month: Nike Powerbeats Pro 2.
Nike Powerbeats Pro 2 are the same as the regular Powerbeats Pro 2, except they have a two-tone design consisting of black and Nike's signature Volt neon green-yellow color. The headphones were released on March 20 in the U.S., Canada, Australia, the U.K., and a ...
Panera is owned by the same company that owns Peet's Coffee, and while Panera isn't at Peet's level, I find it to be better than Starbuck's.
You brought back a sad memory for me.
Back before COVID-19, my daily train commute to work would take me past Specialty's Bakery in Seattle, which served Peet's coffee (I love Major Dickason's) and made amazing pastries and quiches - a great place to pick up breakfast. Unfortunately Specialty's went under - permanently - around May 1 due to the effects of the pandemic (both the enforced shut-down and the overall drop in commuter business).
First of all, you can get 3 months of free Panera+ without Apple Pay, so this promo is not that great.
I have espresso machine at home, so I would normally poo-poo their coffee. But I found their coffee to be pretty decent and $8.99/month is a great deal (normally costs more than $2) if you live near Panera.
Panera is owned by the same company that owns Peet's Coffee, and while Panera isn't at Peet's level, I find it to be better than Starbuck's. Yes, I realize most coffee snobs would rightly poo-poo Peet's and Starbucks. But just putting things into context.
I would prefer pastry subscription as my kids are addicted to their cinnamon crunch bagels.
