I’ve had Peet’s cold brew every day this month.

The coffee, to be honest, is a 5/10.

The idea behind it? 10/10.

For context: I’m an avid coffee drinker. I grew up in Vietnam, where coffee is part of the culture. I started drinking phin coffee at 14. You know the one: silky, smooth, hella strong. So by my standards, Peet’s cold brew is not a “good” coffee to start the day with.

So why have I had it every single day this month?

At the start of the month, I stopped by the Peet’s five minutes from my place. I was rushing to the office and needed caffeine. Out of everything on the menu, cold brew caught my eye because it’s the simplest, fastest, least sugary option. The lady at the counter asked, “Do you have a Cold Brew Pass?”

I frowned. “What’s a Cold Brew Pass?”

With a professional smile, she said, “For $30, you can get a medium cold brew every day this month for free.”

Lovely pitch. I knew the “free” part was a stretch. But then my girl math kicked in:

$30 for a cold brew every day, for 30 days, is $1 a cup.

I was about to pay $6 for one medium cold brew right then.

Girl math took the win. I bought the pass.

To make it worth my money, I’ve gone to Peet’s every day to redeem my cold brew, however mediocre it tastes to me.

And here’s the twist. It’s the end of the month, and if Peet’s offers the pass again, I’ll buy it again.

Here’s why I think this pass is genius.

1. Once we’ve paid, we show up.

I’ll admit it: I have a bit of a consumerism problem, especially with small purchases I can justify with girl math. But the pass works even on people who aren’t like me, because of the sunk cost effect. Once you’ve paid, you feel obligated to “get your money’s worth.” Someone could buy the pass, dislike the coffee, and still come in at least five times just to break even. Either way, the transaction already happened. Peet’s has the $30 whether you come back or not.

Peet’s even adds urgency: each day’s cold brew expires at the end of that day and doesn’t roll over. Skip a day and it’s gone. That little rule got me out the door more mornings than my alarm did.

2. The margin still works.

Cold brew isn’t “diluted coffee.” It uses a lot of grounds and steeps for hours. (Baristas, I see you; please don’t come for me.) But it’s brewed in big batches ahead of time, so each cup costs almost nothing in labor. Even if every passholder redeemed every single day, I’d bet Peet’s still comes out fine. Especially when you combine it with the next point.

3. It helps with the peak-hour rush.

When are coffee shops busiest? Mornings before work, and right after lunch. Picture the line of people waiting on complicated coffee, tea, and matcha orders. Meanwhile, I walked in, ordered, and the barista turned around, poured my cold brew from a tank, and handed it to me at the counter. I was out the door in under a minute. That saves my time and the baristas’ time. Honestly, Peet’s should thank us for ordering cold brew at peak hours.

4. Double points on bakery and warm food.

Marketing friends, you nailed this one. Passholders get 2x rewards points on orders that include a pastry or warm food item. There have been days when I skipped breakfast at home just so I could buy a pastry at Peet’s and get double points. $1 cold brew and double points? I felt like a VIP. It costs Peet’s very little, and it keeps people like me coming back and spending more. On a coffee I don’t even love!

(Okay, that’s a little harsh. I only say it when I need to flex my Vietnamese coffee heritage.)

So, a pass that drives upfront revenue, eases the morning rush, brings people back daily, and sells more pastries along the way? That’s a smart little piece of marketing.

That’s my Monday coffee talk. Now I’m dehydrated, so I’m going to get a big glass of water. When I’m back, I want to see your comments:

Would you buy the Cold Brew Pass?