Starbucks Reward Program Increases
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In October 2024, the new CEO of Starbucks, Brian Niccol, initiated and is currently continuing to implement the “Back to Starbucks” strategy aimed at reviving the company’s core identity as a welcoming coffee shop offering high-quality handcrafted beverages.
Back to Starbucks
Key components of the Back to Starbucks strategy:
- Empowering baristas to create exceptional drinks.
- Optimized menu: Reducing the menu by 30% to focus on core beverages and ensure consistent quality.
- Redesign of stores to create a more inviting atmosphere
- Setting a goal to reduce the waiting time for coffee to four minutes.
- In February 2025, Starbucks offered Rewards members a rare offer of free coffee the day after the Super Bowl.
- In January 2025, Starbucks updated its policies to include free refills and reinstated condiment bars across U.S. cafés. Customers who order any “for here” beverage can now receive free refills of hot brewed or iced coffee, or hot or iced tea during their visit (premium drinks like cold brews and lattes are excluded from this offer).
Since the implementation of the strategy, Starbucks’ share price has increased by 28%, indicating a positive reaction from investors.
Expansion of Starbucks Rewards Program
Starbucks expanded its Rewards program to Costa Rica in February 2025, allowing customers to earn Stars for every eligible purchase at any Starbucks location within the market.
Starbucks Increases its Star Rewards Tiers
Back in 2023, Starbucks changed its rewards program to make it harder to get free drinks and goods. The number of stars required for certain rewards has been increased.
When it comes to using rewards, Starbucks provides the following explanations:
- 25 Stars: Can be redeemed for beverage modifiers like an added espresso shot or a dairy alternative, enhancing the customization options for your drinks.
- Redemption Exclusions: Rewards cannot be redeemed for alcoholic beverages or multi-serve items, ensuring a focused reward experience tailored to individual enjoyment.
Each of the Starbucks reward tier levels will increase to the following:
- 25 Stars: Members can now redeem for one of several beverage modifiers, including an extra shot of espresso, various syrup or sauce additions (like caramel syrup), or a choice of dairy alternative options (such as soy, almond, oat, or coconut milk). This tier is exclusively for enhancing your base beverage, offering a personalized touch to your favorite Starbucks drink.
- 100 Stars: Elevate your Starbucks experience by redeeming for items like hot brewed coffee or tea, iced brewed coffee or tea, a bakery treat (think cake pops or cookies), or a savory packaged snack. Additionally, this tier allows for the redemption of a Cold Siren Logo Plastic To-Go Cup (24 oz) or a Siren Logo Plastic Hot Cup (16 oz), catering to those who appreciate Starbucks beverages on the go. Noteworthy exclusions include Clover brewed coffee, Starbucks Reserve coffee, and reusable cups outside of the specified.
- 200 Stars: This tier offers a significant expansion of choices, including any handcrafted beverage from the standard menu, such as a latte or Frappuccino blended beverage, or a hot breakfast item like a breakfast sandwich or oatmeal. The inclusion of maximum toppings for hot breakfast items adds an extra layer of customization to your meal.
- 300 Stars: For those looking for more substantial food options or to take a piece of Starbucks home, 300 Stars can be redeemed for a packaged salad or lunch sandwich, a protein box, or a packaged coffee item (like whole bean coffee). The availability of packaged coffee may vary, providing an incentive to explore different store offerings.
- 400 Stars: The pinnacle of the Starbucks Rewards program, this tier allows for the redemption of select merchandise items valued up to $20. Whether you’re eyeing a special mug or other Starbucks merchandise, this tier celebrates the loyalty of Starbucks’s most devoted customers, offering tangible rewards for their commitment.
These reward tiers will begin to take effect on February 13, 2023. And these were the first significant changes to the Starbucks Rewards program since 2019, when it first introduced Star reward tiers.
Starbucks Member Benefits
The updates to the Starbucks Rewards program don’t affect the entire program. Loyal Starbucks visitors can count on a few of their favorite reward perks to stay the same. These program features are unchanged in the Starbucks rewards updates:
- Get a free drink on your birthday
- Double Star Days – earn 2x stars on select days
- Free refills on hot or iced coffee or tea
- Level 25 (customize your drink) and 400 Starbucks Rewards (Select Starbucks merchandise or prepackaged coffee) tiers
- Starbucks Stars expire in six months (Stars do not expire for Chase Starbucks® Rewards Visa® Credit Card users.
Maximize Your Starbucks Rewards Stars With Partners
Starbucks customers will need to spend much more at Starbucks before getting their usual free drinks and other rewards. While you’re spending more to cash in on the rewards, why not earn some miles and points toward your next trip at the same time!
Starbucks partners have programs to reward its members as they earn towards the new Star Rewards levels. For example, its partnership with Delta Airlines offers one Delta SkyMiles for every dollar spent at Starbucks.
Also, a partnership with Chase rewards stars every time you use it for qualifying purchases–the rewards card is currently unavailable for new users, although current cardholders can include authorized users to maximize star earnings.
The partnership with Marriott Bonvoy, which began this year, gives Starbucks members the opportunity to link their accounts and earn double stars for Starbucks purchases while staying at Marriott Bonvoy.
In February 2024, Starbucks and Bank of America launched a partnership allowing customers to link their Bank of America debit or credit cards with their Starbucks Rewards accounts, unlocking additional benefits.
Key Benefits of the Partnership:
- 2% Cash Back: Bank of America cardholders earn an extra 2% cash back on qualifying Starbucks purchases made through the Starbucks app. This cash back is in addition to any existing rewards or benefits associated with their Bank of America cards.
- Bonus Stars: Linked accounts earn one Starbucks Star for every $2 spent at Starbucks using the linked Bank of America card.
Сan You Claim Your Expired Starbucks Points
Six (6) months following the conclusion of the month in which you earned your Starbucks Stars, they expire. In accordance with the terms and conditions of Starbucks Rewards:
Unless otherwise noted, Stars are automatically added to your account within twenty-four (24) hours of your eligible purchase and expire six (6) months after the calendar month in which such Stars were earned. For example, if you earn Stars on December 15, 2020, they will expire on July 1, 2021.
You cannot get your Starbucks Stars back once they have expired.
When do Starbucks Star Rewards expire?
Starbucks Star Rewards expire 6 months after the month in which they were earned. This means that the Stars you collect towards rewards in the Starbucks Rewards Program will have a validity period, and it's important to redeem them before they expire to make the most of your membership benefits. Starbucks applies the oldest Stars towards any rewards you redeem, regardless of the tier.
For example, if you earn 10 Stars on June 16 and another 15 Stars on June 24, the Stars earned on June 16 will be used first when you redeem Stars for a Reward. You can view the Stars that are expiring soon in the Rewards section when logged into your account or through the Starbucks app.
Please note that there was a specific policy for Starbucks® Rewards Visa® Card holders, where their Stars did not expire as long as their Starbucks Rewards Visa Card account was open. However, the Starbucks® Rewards Visa® program ended on July 20, 2023. Members with a Starbucks Rewards Visa Card associated with their account as of that date maintained their no-expiration status for Stars earned through January 2024, with those Stars expiring on August 1, 2024. For more detailed information or any updates to these policies, it's recommended to refer to the official Starbucks website.
