The Starbucks Rewards program is a customer loyalty initiative that rewards shoppers for their purchases by giving them points (referred to as “stars”) that can be utilized towards subsequent purchases, including getting a morning brew.
It is simple to enjoy free refreshments, food, and even officially licensed products when you accumulate stars quickly with time.
Starbucks offers a Rewards Program that benefits loyal customers. If you are a fan of Starbucks coffee and treats, think about downloading the application and joining Starbucks Rewards.
In this piece, I will demonstrate strategies to rack up stars at Starbucks quickly and simply so you can start utilizing your rewards now.
What Are Starbucks Rewards?
Members of Starbucks Rewards are able to accumulate Stars, which will give them the ability to redeem them for no charge modifiers, menu items, and even merchandise from Starbucks.
You can get rewards from qualifying purchases at Starbucks or from promotional offerings.
Starbucks Rewards members will gain points known as Stars for every dollar they pay when shopping at Starbucks (certain items are excluded).
Once you have accumulated a sufficient amount of Stars, you can exchange them for rewards at Starbucks franchises that are a part of the program.
The Starbucks app makes it simple to gain, monitor, and use the rewards that you’ve earned.
You can get rewards for buying things in stores and on the internet, as well as redeeming them for something else.
It is possible to use whatever payment method you want and receive rewards; however, you will get even greater rewards if you take advantage of certain payment methods (which will be described later).
Verify with your local Starbucks cafe if they are part of the Starbucks Rewards program. The majority of Starbucks locations recognize the rewards, yet certain ones may not.
What Are the Benefits of Starbucks Rewards?
The Starbucks Rewards program offers more than just the chance to get Stars and redeem them for rewards.
People who are enrolled in the Starbucks Rewards program are able to obtain promotions and exclusive offers, plus a complimentary refreshment or comestible on their anniversary of birth!
Let’s look at some of the additional benefits of the Starbucks Rewards program:
- Birthday Reward — You will receive one complimentary handcrafted drink, bottled beverage, or food item on your birthday.
- Free Refills — Starbucks Rewards members receive free refills on hot or iced brewed coffee or tea. However, you must be present in the store to earn your refill, which means you can’t leave and then come back for a refill later!
- Early or Extended Access to Promotions — Sometimes, Starbucks offers Starbucks Rewards members early or extended access to promotional discounts or special menu items.
- Personalized Offers — Starbucks will sometimes offer rewards members personalized discounts on food or beverages or an opportunity to earn Stars based on their purchase history and preferences.
- Double Star Day — Members can earn twice as many Stars on their purchases on Double Star Days. You can receive notifications about upcoming Double Star Days on the Starbucks app or by opting in to receive Starbucks’ promotional emails.
- Reusable Cup Benefit — Starbucks will occasionally offer bonus Stars for members that bring a clean, reusable cup for their beverage.
You can exchange your Starbucks Rewards for complimentary edibles, beverages, customizations of beverages, and items from Starbucks.
We will discuss the amount of Stars required to redeem each item from the menu in the next part.
What Can You Get With Starbucks Rewards?
You can exchange Starbucks Rewards for complimentary food items and Starbucks related products.
Various incentives can be earned for varying numbers of Stars.
You can get perks like extra shots of espresso or syrup, food and drinks, bags of whole-bean coffee, and reusable cups.
Let’s look at the rewards available at each Star level:
25 Stars
For 25 Stars, you can customize your Starbucks drink.
You have the option of adding an extra shot of espresso, a shot of a flavored syrup, or a caramel or mocha sauce.
You can request a non-dairy milk substitute for your beverage for no extra cost for a total of 25 Stars.
No changes can be made to a core drink and cannot be exchanged for a single beverage.
This implies that you will not be able to exchange 25 Stars for a single small shot of espresso (or chocolate syrup) unless it is used to enhance another drink.
You cannot combine Stars to make modifications to the beverage that was already redeemed, so you can’t use 75 Stars for both a cup of coffee and syrup.
50 Stars
You can exchange 50 Stars for certain items on the Starbucks menu.
You can exchange fifty Stars for a freshly made cup of coffee, tea, or a baked good.
Bakery items include cookies, cake pops, and coffee cakes. 50 Stars cannot be redeemed for iced coffee.
150 Stars
150 points can be used to receive a customized drink (e.g. Frappuccino,) a parfait, a snack that comes in pre-packaged form (not including protein boxes,) or a morning meal item.
Hot breakfast items include oatmeal and breakfast sandwiches.
200 Stars
You can redeem 200 Stars for one lunch item.
Lunch items include sandwiches, salads, or protein boxes.
In Canada, one lunch item can be redeemed for 250 Stars.
400 Stars
Four hundred Star points can be used to purchase certain Starbucks items, like either merchandise or premade coffee products, including unground beans or pre-ground coffee.
Any goods purchased must not exceed a value of $20, though Starbucks offers you a chance to utilize 400 Stars and pay the additional cost for any product more expensive than $20.
How to Earn Stars at Starbucks
Some of the simplest methods of accumulating stars at Starbucks include utilizing the Starbucks Rewards Visa Card while paying, inserting star codes, reusing a mug when going to the shop, and making the most of bonus stars days.
Make purchases at Starbucks stores
The primary method of obtaining stars at Starbucks is to make purchases in their retail stores. For every dollar you spend at Starbucks paying with cash, a debit card, or a credit card, you will earn one star.
If you buy anything at Starbucks, you can get Stars as a reward whether it’s a bespoke beverage, a breakfast dish, or a to-go snack.
No matter what happens, you will be rewarded with stars regardless of if you go for something well-known or something that you have not tried before.
Purchasing merchandise
Getting food and drinks is normally what brings people to Starbucks, but purchasing other items will give you stars.
Customers can acquire stars by purchasing various items, such as coffee mugs, key rings, and decorations.
The more money you spend, the more stars you can acquire, which is more advantageous than purchasing just a single item such as food or drink.
Sign up for the Starbucks Rewards Program
If you want to accumulate more stars with your orders, consider joining the Starbucks Rewards Program.
In order to take part in this initiative, you need to furnish your data and opt for a username and password.
Following your enrollment in the program, you’ll be eligible to receive special discounts, a Starbucks Rewards card, and be notified for times when you can get additional stars only accessible with the Starbucks Rewards program.
If you make purchases with your Starbucks Rewards card, you will receive 2 stars for each $1 spent in the store. Although this might not appear to be a large disparity, the additional stars you acquire will quickly raise your total number of stars.
Know what Starbucks locations give out stars
It is necessary to determine if the Starbucks you are shopping at gives rewards points to its customers.
Most, if not all, Starbucks locations and kiosks that are not connected to any other store offer a reward program, though there are some that do not.
This is a problem that crops up often in Starbucks locations which are housed inside specific supermarkets.
For instance, many Starbucks locations inside places such as Target commonly offer stars, however it is recommended to check ahead of time so that you know the best place to go to get the most from your purchases of coffee.
Confirm that a Starbucks place is in fact an official Starbucks shop and not only supplying their type of coffee.
An illustration of this is the presence of Starbucks within Barnes & Noble Cafes. The cafe within these retail bookstores is regularly thought to be a Starbucks, however they only offer coffee drinks under a licensing contract.
These cafes will neither take nor distribute stars. They run their business independently as cafes, and have a coupon and rewards system in place.
You can still purchase your beloved coffee-based drink while you are here shopping, but you will not be able to gain any advantages.
Use a Starbucks Rewards Visa Card
The Starbucks Rewards Visa Card is a credit card offered exclusively to Starbucks Rewards members and it is administered through Chase Bank.
It functions similarly to other credit cards and connected loyalty systems, yet instead of cash rewards, it distributes stars when used in purchases.
This card offers the opportunity to collect points when making purchases at Starbucks outlets or elsewhere. Cardholders can receive 1 star for every dollar they deposit onto their Starbucks Rewards card.
Using their Starbucks Rewards card to purchase coffee or other items will result in them gaining 2 more stars for every dollar spent.
Members are eligible to receive 1 point for each $2 they spend on items such as groceries, transportation, and bills associated with internet and phone services.
Shoppers who purchase items or services not included in the categories mentioned previously can get 1 star for every $4 spent somewhere else.
Additional benefits of the Starbucks Visa Reward Card
Getting this card is a straightforward process, however, you need to pay $49 per year after the first 12 months.
As an incentive for signing up for the program, 300 stars will be added to your Starbucks Rewards card when it is first used to add money, and 4,500 stars will be bestowed after $500 in total is added within the opening three months.
With the Starbucks Rewards Visa Card, you earn stars that do not go away like the stars you get from other purchases. This is an additional attractive feature.
Use a reusable cup
If you bring a cup that can be reused to hold your beverage, you will be rewarded 25 stars in addition to the stars you get for buying the drink.
You don’t have to purchase a Starbucks brand mug or cup; they do have a variety of them to choose from though. Starbucks will take your reusable cup if it is in a suitable state and has been kept clean.
It should be noted that Starbucks will give 25 stars to you regardless of whether you have one reusable cup or multiple in your purchase.
If you get coffee with numerous people who possess their own reusable cups, you will only be rewarded with 25 stars. You can make the most of this chance as many as three times in one day.
Use star codes
Special symbols located on items produced by Starbucks, such as sacks of coffee beans and K Cup packs, are referred to as “Star codes”.
They have a sticker that must be removed from the packaging after buying it.
You can make use of your points by purchasing the item associated with the code and then either entering it into your online profile or inputting it on the Starbucks mobile app.
Once you’re finished, the number of star points you’ve accumulated will be automatically applied to your total. No matter how many different codes you have, you are limited to a total of two stars per day.
It is best to use your star codes right away, since they will eventually become outdated.
How Do You Sign Up for Starbucks Rewards?
You can register for Starbucks Rewards either on the Starbucks app or through the website.
You must create an account to begin earning rewards.
There is no cost to join, and you will begin to retrieve bonuses when you start buying the items that apply.
Let’s go over how to sign up for Starbucks rewards step by step:
- Download the Starbucks app or go to the Starbucks website to create a Starbucks account. And click “Rewards” and “Join now.”
- Enter your name and email address and create a password to create an account.
- You’ll now be officially enrolled in Starbucks Rewards!
- If you’d like to add your birthday to receive a birthday reward, click on the man icon at the top right of the app to access your account settings.
- Tap “Personal info” and enter your birthday.
- Once you join Starbucks Rewards, you’ll automatically be provided with a digital Starbucks card with a $0 balance. You can add funds to the card through the app, online at starbucks.com/account, or in-store through the cashier. You can view this digital card by tapping “Starbucks Cards & Payment” on your account screen.