MSE News: After a John Lewis loyalty card? Free tea & cake is no longer guaranteed 20 August 2014 at 8:36AM in Freebies (no spend required) 111 replies 49.3K views

Former_MSE_Paloma

John Lewis has changed the loyalty card free tea and cake offer so only some members will get the deal from now on ...

Read the full story:

After a John Lewis loyalty card? Its free tea and cake offer's no longer guaranteed




Click reply below to discuss. If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply. If you aren’t sure how it all works, read our New to Forum? Intro Guide.

Roger1

So JL customers will get the freebie and non-customers won't?

Can't see much wrong with that.

aldredd

Queue people moaning about not getting the something for nothing they believe they're 'entitled' to

pjran

I generally order from JL online and arrange to pick up from my local Waitrose shop but I visit the store monthly to enjoy my free coffee and cake voucher. I nearly always buy something in store.

I think JL could lose a lot of foot traffic from store visits now they are targeting customers.

Former_MSE_Andrea

Who's got one and just uses it for the monthly free tea and cake?

tomtontom

I get a voucher for two (the original vouchers were for two), and as a family we spend a great deal of money there. Last time we went in the restaurant was so busy we went elsewhere. I think limiting the vouchers to true customers is agood thing, as otherwise they are in danger of losing those that actually spend money.

silvercar

No such thing as a free[STRIKE] lunch[/STRIKE] tea!

Pincher

I have been a JLP store card carrying member for over thirty years. I have the Partnership credit card, the JLP loyalty card, AND the Waitrose card. It's really bulking up my wallet, so I miss out on using the JLP loyalty card some times.


My John Lewis spend hasn't changed, but I definitely go into Waitrose a lot more for the free coffee.


I haven been telling the staff to tell them to combine the three cards for months. All they have to do is print the bar code on the back of the credit card. As an interim measure, send us some sticky labels with the bar code. Next time they renew the card, print everything on the same card.


What is the point of having a separate Waitrose card? If you pay and shop in Waitrose, and swipe a John Lewis loyalty card, they still know it's a supermarket spend, and still have your spending habit on tap. With this bizaarre logic, we would have a bus Oyster card, a tube Oyster card, and a train Oyster card.


Ideally, I should be able to use the Partnership credit card, and all this happens automatically. Obviously I need to log in and register my loyalty card numbers under the credit card account.

jenniewb

I have the JL card, I have bought from JL in the past and recently and have the coffee and cake vouchers, but I rarely use them. I only really want a coffee and often can't be bothered with the long queues or that they will only half fill a cup because I have the voucher (told to me by a staff member- I didn't make that up!) but I do still get the vouchers if I am passing and have the time.


I don't feel an entitlement, am pleased for what I have got and am suprized it has lasted this long. I think it would be sad if it stopped but would mean the queue for those who are paying would be significantly smaller and I can't help thinking it's those who would normally pay who are not joining the long queue. Why queue for a service when you can see everyone else getting the same item for free or when you know that the coffee place next door has a far shorter queue and a place to sit afterwards!


That being said, I would be sad to see it go.

beecher2

Fair enough, I've had more than my fair share of free cake since this started! I doubt if I'll remember to use my card, so doubt I'll get any more after my last 2 vouchers are used.

Doc_N

I'm guessing the Waitrose free coffees will head in the same general direction at some point - and no bad thing for genuine customers.

Not sure I'd accept what JL are saying about 'existing customers' having all received August vouchers, though - our experience has been that my card (used on purchases) has produced vouchers, but my wife's (not used lately) has not.

Seems fair enough - particularly if it stops all the HUKD !!!!!!!!!!s. [odd that the word 'free-loader' has to be given a hyphen to get rid of the exclamation marks inserted by MSE!]