RichardInSF

I don't exactly regard Starbucks as dining, but this seems the closest relevant forum; mods feel free to move if I got this wrong.

On December 26, Starbucks is changing their rewards program so that the benefits you used to get once you registered the card online will now only come after you have made 5 separate purchases using the card, apparently per year.

Current cardholders are grandfathered in, so you might want to get a card now if you are thinking about it.

https://www.starbucks.com/card/rewards

cblaisd

I make sure I buy something or put some money on the card once every four weeks. The free wifi is great to have.

RichardInSF

Yeah, I do the same -- but haven't they figured out yet that every other coffee place in the entire country has free wi-fi without these conditions or limitations? If a few Peets figure out that they should stay open later at night, I'd abandon Starbucks in a flash.

The person behind the counter last night was b1tching that they are soon going to be taught new procedures for doing everything faster, which she felt would cost quality.

thegeneral

All of 5 purchases? Wow, how horrible. Do you really think that someone who only goes to Starbucks 4x per year will want to mess around with a card? I go there probably 5 times per week and don't bother with it.

As for Wifi, not every place in the country does have it. My most recent local haunt didn't have it. Another very small chain I go to does have it, but it's so heavily used it's mostly pointless. I always bring my Sprint card.

In terms of what one staff member at one Starbucks said about what might happen, how is that relevant to anything? There's no indication that it is actually the case. It's not necessarily true across the board with what people expect. Also, there's no indication that the changes will impact quality. The person was merely speculating. The policies and procedures Starbucks have do bring with them a lot of quality.

I always get the correct drink at Starbucks and I don't recall it ever being forgotten. I can recall once in the last year where they forgot my food item. They apologized profusely and gave me a free drink the next time I'm there.

Should you have a bone to pick with the changes in the card, then do so. There's no need to nitpick about things that might or might not be an issue. It sounds like you're already a card holder, so why do you really care?

RichardInSF

Ahhh, good to hear from a proud supporter!

5 purchases required this year, maybe 10 required next year, ....

One of the saving graces at Starbucks was that you could get the card, ask someone in the store who was online to register it for you, and begin using it immediately. Now you can't. There were also smallish other benefits (free brewed coffee refills, etc.) that get delayed as well.

It's also unclear if you have to "re-qualify" each year, which could mean that suddenly early in each year, your internet privileges vanish.

And of course if only one staff member said it, that doesn't guarantee it's true. That's why I attributed the source, to let people judge for themselves. This sort of report is on FT all the time.

Eastbay1K

I go there on average, 2x/month, and spend between two and four dollars per visit. This is outrageous!

thegeneral

It's sort of odd that a site full of flying enthusiasts who all have to fly a certain number of miles in any airline program to get elite benefits would be whining about having to buy 5 coffees to get free wifi.

It seems very much like Starbucks are doing this to keep their cards as they were intended. To reward frequent customers, not to make wifi free for someone who only goes there once.

magiciansampras

My concern with the changes are a bit different. I really like the discount I get now with the black card. Am I right in understanding that this goes away and it will now be more like a rewards program with free coffees the reward?

GadgetFreak

Yes. And Im guessing a reward of some stupid frappy drink that I dont want.

MisterNice

I hope they make the program so complicated that the average Starbucks customer cant understand the program...............eg like the airlines ff programs. Perhaps a brand new opportunity for a nice smart guy like Randy to start a new FT-like site.

MisterNice

Minneapolis

I'm a little confused about how the new program will work

The text on the website reads:

We want to say "thanks" for coming into our stores and using a registered Starbucks Card. With My Starbucks Rewards, you'll earn 1 Star every time you pay with your Card. And as you collect Stars, you move up to bigger benefits.


What does pay with your card mean? As a current gold card holder, I just give the barristo my gold card+check card and the swipe the gold card for the discount then put the balance on the debit card. Will this type of activity not earn "Stars"?

Doesn't this all seem a little too complicated for COFFEE?

GadgetFreak

I would guess that it would not earn stars, whatever they are or whatever they are good for.

I liked the current program. The 10% off is a tangible deal. I could readily calculate if it was worth it for me to participate. The new program seems very opaque.

mikeef

Yup. That's the Big Suck. You used to get 10% off everything, including food. Now, you get one free drink for every 15 drinks you buy. <10% and no food benefit. For daily SBUX users, the $25 was worth it.

Mike

magiciansampras

Well that really stinks. I'll write them a letter (won't do any good of course).

The 10% discount was great. I'm a pretty heavy user with multiple trips a week. But I would also often pick up a muffin or bag of coffee and enjoyed the discount on those items.

u2fan

I am surprised they would do this - or maybe it repsesents a change in thinking.

Starbucks basically believed that a buyer would go to the nearest (chain)coffeeshop: for instance, they would not pass a Starbucks to get to a Caribou.

In my neighborhood, a Starbucks and Caribou are about equal distance and a Boarders w/Seatle's Best is not much further. Caribou and Border's have free wifi. If wifi is your draw, Starbucks is about to give customers a reason to pass them and go to the Caribou.

On a somewhat related note, I wonder of Starbucks partners like the cards. I found it mucher easier tip when I paid cash. With my card, I am always digging for change. I probably tipped better before.