Consolidated "Starbucks - games, promotions, devaluations, et al" thread
#406
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,790
Same. It's also interesting how they target based off your SBUX pattern. My Mom is a frequent SBUX visitor and I am not. Comparing our star dash challenges is hilarious because of how generous mine are in comparison. Last week or the week before, mine was "make 2 purchases, get 100 bonus stars". Now this week is visit 3 days in a row, get 75 stars, which I'm clearly going to pass on. The one she shared with me a couple weeks ago was "collect 75 stars when you order 9 times after 2pm"
#407
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,050
I can't believe I haven't found this thread before. I miss the days of star laundering. It was essentially manufactured spend for Starbucks. Back before the current program (where in the previous program, you just needed 12 stars for a free drink. Star Dashes rewarded stars as codes to enter, and those stars counted towards future star dashes. So, I would start out with a star dash, make actual purchases, and receive a code to redeem the stars from that star dash (usually something like 20 stars or more if the star dash rewarded a free drink as well). Instead of redeeming it right away, I would hold onto it (they did have expiration dates that I took note of) and usually another star dash would occur before the previous code expired. I would join the second star dash, and then redeem the code from the first star dash to fulfill the requirements of the second star dash, and repeat this over and over again to effectively launder my star dash rewards into more and more stars, while redeeming the leftover stars for drinks.
Since they went to the new program, I can't do that anymore, but now my office has moved to a location with a (licensed) Starbucks 50 feet away from my office, so I've been earning rewards and haven't been able to redeem them yet since the licensed locations are earn only. I still fulfill the terms of most star dashes though, as they usually involve counting visits, and each transaction is a "visit." So, I'd order my usual, and once I finish it, I go back and ask for a refill and insist that they charge me for the refill (they usually don't) so that I could get a transaction for the star dash.
I love the transaction based ones, as I will divide orders into 2 transactions.
I've noticed that successive star dashes tend to be less and less rewarding, but if I miss one or two, it resets. Star dashes that require purchasing particular products are ones that I can never fulfill at work (since it's licensed, the POS doesn't report the items purchased to Starbucks when they run my Starbucks card, only a total)
Since they went to the new program, I can't do that anymore, but now my office has moved to a location with a (licensed) Starbucks 50 feet away from my office, so I've been earning rewards and haven't been able to redeem them yet since the licensed locations are earn only. I still fulfill the terms of most star dashes though, as they usually involve counting visits, and each transaction is a "visit." So, I'd order my usual, and once I finish it, I go back and ask for a refill and insist that they charge me for the refill (they usually don't) so that I could get a transaction for the star dash.
I love the transaction based ones, as I will divide orders into 2 transactions.
I've noticed that successive star dashes tend to be less and less rewarding, but if I miss one or two, it resets. Star dashes that require purchasing particular products are ones that I can never fulfill at work (since it's licensed, the POS doesn't report the items purchased to Starbucks when they run my Starbucks card, only a total)
#408
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,790
So I checked my SBUX app today to realize that my whole card balance had been drained to zer and not by me. Happened a few days ago one day after my most recent purchase. A quick call to Starbucks later and the rep had marked it as unauthorized activity and ordered me a new card with my prior balance to be mailed to my house ^ By the tone of her voice, this seemed like a pretty routine exercise for her.
#409
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak
Posts: 27,609
I’m confused by an email about stars resetting to zero for a new year. Not that it matters too much but why won’t they roll over like frequent flyer miles?
#410
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,050
#411
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,050
I received a similar email on an account I don't use. If you don't earn 300 stars and hit Gold by X date, your stars expire. If you are Gold, they roll over.
#412
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat Pro, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 55
So I checked my SBUX app today to realize that my whole card balance had been drained to zer and not by me. Happened a few days ago one day after my most recent purchase. A quick call to Starbucks later and the rep had marked it as unauthorized activity and ordered me a new card with my prior balance to be mailed to my house ^ By the tone of her voice, this seemed like a pretty routine exercise for her.
#413
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 7,267
There's a new Starbucks for Life game/promotion going on. As usual, if you scroll all the way down after logging into the game, you can find a link for a daily AMOE entry or two.
https://www.starbucksforlife.com
https://www.starbucksforlife.com
#414
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,050
There's a new Starbucks for Life game/promotion going on. As usual, if you scroll all the way down after logging into the game, you can find a link for a daily AMOE entry or two.
https://www.starbucksforlife.com
https://www.starbucksforlife.com
#415
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,050
There's a new Starbucks for Life game/promotion going on. As usual, if you scroll all the way down after logging into the game, you can find a link for a daily AMOE entry or two.
https://www.starbucksforlife.com
https://www.starbucksforlife.com
#417
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Motown
Programs: DL, WN, AA, IHG Diamond, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,409
#419
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,050