Starbucks Gold Card: What Is It, How to Get It, and Is It Worth It? (Am I a gold member at Starbucks? + FAQs)

Did you know that you can still earn rewards from Starbucks? If not, you are probably not taking advantage of the rewards loyalty program. So, what is the Starbucks gold card?

This is a rewards card that enabled customers to enjoy different perks from Starbucks. New Starbucks customers wonder if they can still get gold cards. I did not know this coffee chain had such a program until I saw my friend with a gold card.

I asked him about it, and he was happy to explain the company’s reward program. After this, I created this post to share what I had learned about the Starbucks gold card. You will also learn how people got it and whether it was worth it.

Starbucks Gold Card: What Is It, How to Get It, and Is It Worth It?

The Starbucks gold card is a prestigious rewards card that many people have been looking forward to getting over the years. It was part of the company’s rewards program. Once you join this program, you will receive a regular card. You have to load it, register it online with your mailing address, and then shop at Starbucks.

Every time you shop at Starbucks, you can earn a star for every purchase. You can keep checking the number of stars you earn online or through the Starbucks app. The rewards program had a green level and gold level. If you had stars between 0 and 299, you were at the green level. If you earned 300 stars in at least 12 months since joining the program, you would reach the gold level.

This would later be followed by a gold card with your name on it. You would earn two stars for every $1 you spent with this card. One could redeem these stars to get free drinks or food items from Starbucks. Many people found the gold card worth it since it had many benefits in the past. For instance, it could help you get a reward every time you gained 125 stars.

You could also enjoy double-star days every month. This means that on particular days, you could earn four stars instead of 2 for each dollar you spent purchasing a drink or food item from Starbucks. If you wanted notifications on such double-star days, you had to sign up for emails.

Some Starbucks customers that have been part of the program for long were not impressed with the changes implemented in the rewards program. Starbucks started by reducing the benefits that came with being a gold member. In the past, gold members would enjoy additional benefits such as free syrups, free soy milk, and excluding emails on coupons and events. With reduced benefits, some felt that the gold card was no longer worth it.

Can you still become a gold member at Starbucks?

No. In August 2019, Starbucks made changes to its rewards program. It removed both the gold and green levels entirely. Not many people who had already achieved high-tier status were impressed with this change since they felt that their stars decreased in value. Since these levels were removed, Starbucks stopped sending gold cards to customers who qualified for this level.

Starbucks tweaked the rewards system to benefit both regular and less frequent customers. According to the company’s policies, customers no longer needed the gold status to earn rewards. All Starbucks customers were allowed to earn rewards. The rewards are now tiered.

Instead of waiting to earn 125 stars to get a reward, Starbucks gave customers a chance to redeem fewer stars for cheap drinks. For instance, if you have 25 stars, you can now redeem them to get an extra shot of espresso or choose a drink with a dairy substitute. If you have 50 stars, you can use them to get free brewed hot coffee from Starbucks.

150 stars can help you get a handcrafted drink like a frappuccino or latte. On the other hand, 200 stars can help you get free packaged lunch, while 400 stars can help you get packaged coffee beans.

What does being a gold member at Starbucks mean?

Before Starbuck removed this status, being a gold member came with a lot of prestige. It meant that you would have a personalized shiny gold card that you could use every time you made purchases at Starbucks. Being a gold member also meant that one could earn different rewards by collecting stars. Some of the rewards that one could earn include food items or free beverages on the Starbucks menu.

Starbucks also allowed gold members to earn stars faster by either taking part in a Star Dash Challenge or buying a featured item. Gold members could also enjoy free in-store refills on drinks such as tea or brewed coffee. Starbucks has always made its customers feel appreciated. It offered gold members a free reward on their birthdays. You could either get a free drink item or food to celebrate this special day.

Final thoughts

A few years back, the Starbucks reward program was quite famous due to its gold card. Gold members that managed to earn this card could enjoy different rewards. Unfortunately, the gold card is no longer available at Starbucks since the company changed its rewards system to help even less frequent customers gain rewards.

FAQ section

Do Starbucks gold cards expire?

Yes. When Starbucks gold cards were available, they used to expire after six months.

How Do I Earn The Gold Card?

To earn the gold card, one had to earn at least 300 stars within six months. Failure to achieve this would make one remain on the green level.

What Exactly Does the Gold Card Give Me?

The gold card had a lot of benefits when it was being used. For instance, it initially enabled members to earn free birthday drinks, free in-store refills, double-star days, and a personalized gold card.