When I think of Barnes & Noble, the first thing that comes to mind is books. Then, I remember that there is usually a cafe located inside these bookstores. Right now, there are two different deals going on that can get you a drink from the B&N cafe for free.
The cafe that you see inside your local Barnes & Noble store is not a Starbucks, (even though they sell Starbucks coffee). It is actually a Barnes & Noble cafe, and it will have food and drink items on its menu that cannot be found at a Starbucks.
The people working behind the counter are employees of Barnes & Noble, and not Starbucks. This is why you cannot use your Starbucks gift card to purchase Starbucks coffee from a B&N cafe. You can, however, use your Barnes & Noble membership card to get a discount on anything you purchase from the B&N cafe.
Right now, you can get a free coffee from the B&N cafe. In order to take advantage of this deal, you first must download the BN eReader App to your mobile device. The app is free to download, so it won’t cost you anything at all to get. Next, you need to start your eBook library. The eBooks are not free, but you can find several classics that can be downloaded for just under one dollar.
When you arrive at the B&N cafe, show the eBook that you are reading on your BN eReader App to the server at the cafe. This will get you a free tall coffee, which you can have either hot or iced, whichever you prefer. This deal is good until July 15, 2011.
You can also get a smoothie from the B&N cafe. Each smoothie contains real fruit and a whole banana. I’m not sure exactly when Barnes & Noble started selling smoothies, but I have a good guess as to why they decided to do that. My local Barnes & Noble store is located right next door to a Jamba Juice. Odds are that your local B&N is also located nearby a Jamba Juice or other store that sells smoothies. This is especially true if the B&N is attached to a shopping mall.
Print out a coupon and take it with you when you go to the cafe. The coupon says “Buy 1 Smoothie, Get one Free”. The best way to use this coupon would be to get two smoothies that are the same size. If you get different sizes, then the smaller one will be free. You have to use this coupon before June 13, 2011.
Image by bclinesmith on Flickr