Strange retail decisions

[DianaT1969]

Early in the pandemic, Pret a Manger started a £20 per month unlimited coffee deal. I went past Pret around 9am recently. The queue was out the door - around 20 people and not moving. Due to social distancing, not many customers are allowed inside. "Regular" customers wanting a full price coffee and breakfast would be put off by the queue.
Is there a marketing/sales director likely to get the chop for such a strange strategy during social distancing?
Any other retail or hospitality oddities?

How do you know the people in the queue weren't regular customers buying full priced coffee? The queue at the Pret near my office was regularly out the door even before social distancing rules.

True, I don't know what they were queuing for. It's likely many were for the free coffee deal though. This is a zone 2 highstreet Pret. Not near offices. Close to a tube station.
I guess we'll hear when Pret's profits/loss are announced.

If covid is the "lion" to the coffee economy, which all hospo are trying to outrun, Pret really just needs to outrun the other gazelles to survive. Even if this subscription is a loss leader to audience capture, that is still their goal here. Regular cash flow, continued custom, remain afloat. Outrun the lion by outrunning the other gazelles.

Not all coffee chains will survive this.

Pret is now on Deliveroo, and that will help its survival

Outrunning the lion - you are spot on. They only need to make it through as not all competitors will be left standing. That said, I like Cafe Nero and hope it survives.

Isn’t the free coffee mostly to tempt you inside to then buy a sandwich?