Starbucks’s new rewards system means you’ll need more stars for free drinks
The company made the announcement Monday.
Starbucks is shaking things up when it comes to its rewards program, the company announced Monday. It used to be that customers in the program would get a “star’’ each time they visited one of the ubiquitous coffee shops, but starting in April, they’ll instead get two stars for each dollar they spend.
Starbucks is also changing up the way “gold’’ status and perks are calculated. Currently, customers get gold status if they amass 30 stars a year, and gold customers get a free drink or food item after they collect 12 stars.
Under the new system, however, customers will need to collect 300 stars, or spend $150, to become a gold member. Once they do, it will take 125 more stars—about $63—to get a free treat. In simple terms, this means that you used to be able to go get, say, a coffee 30 times to earn gold status. Now, however, you have to spend at least $150 to earn that same level of membership. It used to be that after you became a gold member, you only had to go to a Starbucks 12 more times to get a perk. You could spend any amount during those trips—even if it was, for example, only $2 a trip. Now, however, you have to spend at least $63 total for a free offering.
The company is also rolling out monthly “Double-Star Days’’ on which the amount of stars customers can collect will—you guessed it—double.
In a FAQ on the Starbucks website, the company said they’re making these changes because they are “always listening to our customers and looking for ways to make your Starbucks experience better. The new program reflects the number 1 request we heard from members: more stars awarded based on what you buy, no matter how often you visit.’’
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com