Starbucks rewards guide (what are Starbucks rewards, how to enroll in the Starbucks reward program + more information)

Starbucks has a wide range of rewards in its loyalty program that can get you a free drink. So, what are Starbucks rewards? Let’s find out.

Starbucks rewards are stars earned after purchase, and are redeemed for free drinks or food items. I have enjoyed the Starbucks rewards program for some time now. I know people who have no idea what these rewards are and their existence. I came up with this guide to help you learn about the rewards. Keep reading to learn how to enroll.

How to enroll in the Starbucks reward program?

Joining the Starbucks rewards program is the first step, and it’s free. The first thing you need to do is to download the free Starbucks app. When the app is installed on your mobile device, create an account for free. Look for the rewards page on the app and open it. You will need an active email address, your name, and a password.

When you have followed all the prompts to create an account, you can start making purchases using your registered Starbucks Card to earn stars. If you don’t want to go the app way, you can simply search for the Starbucks website online. Search for the rewards page on the site and fill in the form. You will need a password and an email address like on the app. When you fill in the details and save, you will have successfully enrolled in the rewards program.

This takes only a few minutes, and the benefits are great. You will be required to agree to the terms and conditions of the program before signing up. You need stable internet for this process as it is not offline. When you complete this step, you will have successfully joined the 24 million active members of the Starbucks rewards program. Your rewards possibilities will be endless, and you can start grabbing a free drink once in a while. Starbucks will tell you that your free coffee is only a tap away, so get tapping already.

How do Starbucks rewards work?

The rewards program works by accumulating stars to your rewards account, and when you reach the redemption tier, you can redeem them for free items. Whenever you spent a dollar on any qualifying drink or food item, you earn a free star. However, you must scan your app if you pay in cash for your items. If you have a registered Starbucks card, use it to make your payments to have stars credited to your account.

The Starbucks payment options are unlimited, and you can use mobile wallets, credit and debit cards, or cash. You can also link a payment method of your choice to your mobile app. This way, you will earn a star for every $1 you spend. When you learn that a massive portion of your money flows to Starbucks as you feed your addiction to caffeine, you might want to minimize the spending by getting some freebies once in a while.

When you join the rewards program, you automatically enter into the green category. From here, you will need to work your way to the gold level. You are required to earn 125 stars to redeem for a free drink. The gold level is only 300 points away in 12 months. At this elite level, you will earn a free drink for every $62.50 you spend at Starbucks. The Starbucks program is one of the best ways Starbucks promotes its products and brand, and it works out quite well. In 2019, the sales of the coffee chain skyrocketed to a whopping 40% because of the rewards program.

What are the payment methods to earn more stars at Starbucks?

The Starbucks rewards program offers a wide range of payment methods such as mobile wallets, cash, credit cards, and debit cards. These methods can be directly linked to the Starbucks mobile app to make it easier to earn stars. In 2018, Starbucks launched its Starbucks rewards visa card that enabled members to easily make their payments at the stores and earn stars.

The card was a result of a partnership with Chase Bank, and it came with a sign-up bonus of 2500 Starbucks stars. This bonus is availed to customers who spend $500 within three months of acquiring the card. The stars are the equivalent of 20 food or drink items on the Starbuck menu. When you make your purchase using cash, you will be required to scan your mobile app. The Starbucks baristas do not automatically know who is a member of the rewards program and who is not. You will need to tell them so that you do not lose your points after purchase.

The scan feature is available on the homepage of your mobile app, and all you need to do is click on it and scan the QR code. You can then proceed to make your payments outside the app. Starbucks allows you to pay using PayPal. You will need to link it to your app to make payments. When you link a credit or debit card with PayPal, you will not need to scan your mobile app. This also applies to the PayPal payment method.

What are the benefits of the Starbucks reward program?

The perks are expansive, you might wonder what you have been doing without this program. You will start by earning stars. Whenever you pay for an item using your mobile app, the stars are credited to your account. Well, these stars are not decorative ornaments on your account. They can get you free drinks if you accumulate enough. I think the rewards program is in place to make sure you never miss a day without visiting the coffee chain stores.

The program elevates you to the gold level when you earn 300 points in a year. This is when all the fun starts. You will now be eligible for freebies at this gold level. When you start at the green level, your stars will expire after12 months if you don’t work your way to the gold level, and why would anyone do that? Don’t despise the green level yet. When your birthday comes, you will be eligible for a free drink. You will also enjoy free refills at participating stores and the ability to order ahead. When you think about it, the Starbucks rewards program is a savings plan. You will also be pleased to know that there are double-star days. These are promotional days where you earn double the stars, that you would earn on a normal day’s purchase.

You will be saving some cash on those days when you earn free items. This program is especially beneficial to those whose lives revolve around Starbucks and can’t kick off their caffeine addiction. Any savings no matter how insignificant is good. When no one else remembers your birthday, you can count on Starbucks to make your day worth it. This is your best day to invest in stars to add to your collection.

How do I redeem my Starbucks stars?

When you have worked so hard to accumulate your precious stars, you might not fight the urge to redeem them, and you need to do this before they expire. The first thing is to scan the member barcode on your mobile app. If this is not possible for you, present your registered rewards card to your local Starbucks and let the barista do it for you. Redeeming these stars is not a daily affair, as it only happens when you qualify for a reward tier.

You might have to check your total starts to determine if you can redeem. Mostly, you need only 25 stars to start earning rewards. However, you will not be redeeming your stars for alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is not an eligible item at Starbucks for redeeming stars. Did you know that stars earned in the United States can be redeemed in participating stores in Canada? Yeap, you can walk to a Canadian store, present your rewards card, and walk away with a free drink or food item.

You can also redeem your stars at any target café for food and drinks. In short, you can either redeem by yourself using the mobile app or walk into a Starbucks store and let the baristas do it for you. Whatever method you use, ensure that you do not let your stars expire before getting your rewards.

You can redeem 25 stars for customization of your choice. This means you can add an extra shot of espresso to your drink, a syrup, or a dairy substitute. You can redeem 50 stars for hot coffee, bakery food items, or a cup of hot tea. 150 stars will get you a handcrafted drink of your choice, a hot breakfast sandwich, or oatmeal. If you have 200 stars, you can order a salad, protein box, or sandwich. Finally, 400 stars get you free merchandise of your choice or at-home coffee.

How do I login to my Starbucks reward account?

There are two ways to do this. You can use the mobile app or the Starbucks website. You will also need stable internet for this. When you sign up and get a free account, you use your email, and a password is only known to you. The Starbucks website rewards page has a sign-in option. This is the page that you will visit, click on the sign-in option and fill in your email and password. You can then access your rewards account.

When using your mobile app, you will follow the same steps as the website. Look for the rewards page and sign in using your password and email address. If you can’t remember your password, click on forgot password. This will prompt you to fill in your email and click send. An email with the reset instructions will be sent to the email address where you had registered your account, and you can reset it. Always ensure that you create a strong password. Moreover, create a strong password that you can remember.

The strength of your password will not help you once you have forgotten it. You will need these logins to transfer your balance to another card or to redeem your stars. You can also change your details such as email, password, or name as you wish. You can also log in to check if your stars have been credited to your account. Starbucks recommends waiting for 24 hours to see the new stars’ balance. You can also refresh your account to see the updated balance.

How do I check my Starbucks membership status?

You can do so on your mobile app or the website. You will need to log in with your email and password. Your page will display the status of your membership and the expiration date of your rewards. You can know if you have been up-leveled to Gold or are still a green member. If you can’t log in to your account, you might want to do some troubleshooting.

You can start by ensuring that you have entered the correct login details. If you haven’t, correct the details and try again. You can check how many stars your accounts have and know your level. Once you check your stars’ expiry date, you can rush and redeem them before you lose them. You might not always keep up with the credited stars, and you might want to constantly check the balance just to make sure you are heading to the gold level if you are in the green zone. The mobile login is the best way, as the app is already on your mobile device’s home screen. The website might take you some time before you can launch your browser and search the website. Either way, you will still successfully log in and check your membership status. It is recommended to check often to keep track of your rewards and to ensure that you remain an active member.

How many reward membership levels does Starbuck have?

There are three rewards tiers in the Starbucks rewards program. We have the welcome level, green level, and gold level. The welcome level, as the name suggests, is the level you get into when you first sign up. At this level, you are at zero stars but don’t despair, as you will be eligible for a free birthday drink. You can pick any handcrafted drink of your choice and enjoy it on your day. The next level is green.

At this level, you have already made some purchases and accumulated some stars. You officially enter this level when you accumulate five stars. So, what differentiates the green from the welcome? In this new level, you can add selected free syrups and milk. You can also qualify for free refills when you make payments with your Starbucks cards. This is a great way to lure you and keep you coming back for more. When you purchase 1lb whole bean, you can get a free tall serving. Starbucks gives trial products for free, and a green member is eligible to try them.

Finally, we have the gold member. If you collect 300 stars within a year, you will automatically move to the gold level. This transition mostly takes up to 24 hours. This is where all the fun begins, and the real perks are. All gold card holders start at the gold level as a special appreciation from Starbucks. You will be eligible for a tall drink of your choice in your birthday month, an extra free shot of espresso if you choose to add, or a slice of cake on your birthday. You will also get every 16^th drink free, and double stars day each month.

How do I check for my Starbucks reward history on the reward app?

You will need to log in to your account on your mobile app rewards account. As we had mentioned earlier, log in with your email and password at the rewards page. Once you have access to your account, you can see your rewards history displayed on this page. You can do this if your account balance seems off. The system can sometimes make a mistake or delay in crediting your rewards.

To keep track and only raise a genuine concern, check out the history of your rewards. If your stars have not been credited and it’s less than 24 hours since your last purchase, Starbucks recommends that you wait until this period is over. If the stars don’t appear after 24 hours, you can raise a complaint. You can check the history of the stars in your account and see if you have attained the next level.

What can I get as a reward from Starbucks on my birthday?

Starbucks knows how to treat its customers on their birthdays. A Starbucks rewards member is eligible for a free drink as soon as they join the rewards program. You can grab a tall version of any handcrafted drinks at Starbucks. A handcrafted drink is made behind the counter by hand. There is a long list of these drinks on the menu. On your special day, you will be spoilt with choices. You can get a tall latte, mocha, white chocolate Frappuccino, Java Chip Frappuccino, vanilla bean Frappuccino, and any other coffee or non-coffee Frappe that tickles your fancy. If you want to enjoy a nice refresher, walk to the local Starbuck and ask for a strawberry acai refresher, paradise drink, pineapple passion refresher, mango dragonfruit refresher, dragon drink, or pink drink. On this day, you can take your taste buds on vacation. When you are a gold member, you can get a piece of cake on your birthday. This option is availed to you as an alternative to handcrafted drinks. The beauty of Starbucks is that they do not dictate to you the kind of drink that you should order. If you are not a coffee person, you can opt for a tea drink or a crème Frappuccino.

Final Thoughts

The Starbucks rewards program is not only beneficial to the customers but also to the company’s revenue. When a program has over 24 million active members, the revenue figures are bound to rise. That aside, the customers are rewarded for their loyalty. This program shows appreciation to the company’s most loyal members by giving out perks once in a while and encouraging them to keep coming back.

FAQs

How do I check my Starbucks reward card balance?

Visit the Starbuck rewards page on your app or the website, sign in to your account, select card management, and click on the card that you wish to check the balance.

How do I keep my Starbucks stars from expiring?

You can do so by ensuring that your credit card or pre-paid account remains open.

Can I use my Starbucks stars on the expiration date?

Yes, you can. The stars expire by the end of the day.

Does Star balance expire?

Yes, it does. It will expire after six months.

Will Starbucks reinstate expired stars?

No, once they expire, they are gone for good and cannot be reinstated.

Can I redeem multiple Starbucks Rewards at once?

No, you can only redeem one reward per item. You won’t receive both a handcrafted drink and extra customizations if you redeem 150 stars.

Is there a max number of Starbucks stars you can have?

No, there is no limit on the number of stars you can have.

Do Starbucks Rewards Stars Expire?

Yes, they expire six months from the calendar month that they were earned.

Can You Earn Stars on Starbucks Products at Grocery Stores?

Yes, you can earn stars for buying K-cups and Starbucks ready-to-drink beverages at the supermarket.

Is the Starbucks reward program available internationally?

Yes, the rewards program is available internationally.

Can I redeem my Starbucks rewards at any Starbucks shop in the world?

You can redeem at any participating Starbuck in the world according to the redemption tiers applicable in the country.