You Should Almost Always Order Small Drinks At Panera. Here's Why

Next time you're dining in at Panera (hopefully, when it's safe to do so), you're going to want to order the smallest-sized drink available. Don't worry — we're not asking you to count calories or cut back on caffeine. Order a small and you can drink as much as you want while saving some money. It turns out, almost all of the drinks at Panera come with free refills, so you can sip all you want of the coffee, soda, tea, or whatever else you may be drinking, without shelling out the extra cash for a larger cup. 

Not convinced? The advice comes straight from a former Panera employee (via Krazy Koupon Lady) who knows all the hacks. "Order a small drink," the former employee explains. "You can refill it as many times as you'd like! Just know that availability may depend on location, so ask before ordering." If you're dining in, it's the perfect way to get more of your beverage for less money.

There are just a handful of drinks on the Panera menu that this trick won't work for. According to Spoon University, you won't be able to get free refills on lemonade, iced green tea, hot chocolate, made-to-order espresso drinks, or any of the chain's smoothies. Other than that, however, you're free to refill as much as you want from Panera's vast selection of beverages. Whether you're loading up on coffee, treating yourself to your favorite soda, or unwinding with a cup of tea, you're free to top it off free of charge.

Panera is one of the few chains where you can get free refills on such a wide range of drinks, but you can do the same with soda fountain soft drinks at lots of fast-food restaurants. Five Guys, Denny's, KFC, Taco Bell, Chipotle, and Friendly's are just some of the places you can refill your small cup of cola for no extra cost (via Cheapism).