Panera Bread customers can soon drink as much of the chain's coffee and tea as they want, all for $8.99 per month.

The subscription program launching on Thursday comes after the sandwich chain overhauled its breakfast and coffee offerings last year with new options like wraps. Iced coffee and hot tea will also be included in the program, which is part of Panera's loyalty program.

The low monthly cost of coffee subscription programs gives restaurants an easy way to lure in customers and convince them to change their breakfast habits.

Restaurant Brands International's Burger King began a coffee subscription program a year ago after it revamped its own coffee selection. Customers paid $5 a month for unlimited coffee as the burger chain tried to gain an edge over breakfast rivals like McDonald's.

Panera CEO Niren Chaudhary said that subscribers' monthly visits in test markets increased from about four to more than 10. Food sales increased 70% with those customers. Nearly a quarter of subscribers were new members to Panera's loyalty program.

The privately held sandwich chain, which is owned by Krispy Kreme's parent JAB Holding, does not disclose financial results.