Starbucks Is Changing Up Its Rewards Program

Starbucks is switching up its customer loyalty program. Starting in April, the program, which awards customers stars for their daily caffeine pit stops, will soon drop the one star per visit model in favor of a rewards per dollar system. These changes to the Starbucks Rewards program could get you to your free drink faster or slower, depending on your coffee purchasing habits. In less than two months, participating customers will earn two stars for every $1 they spend at Starbucks, no matter what they're buying.

That means if you, as a Starbucks fan, purchase a venti latte at $5, you will earn 10 stars for your trip as opposed to the one star that you earned today. Starbucks will also keep track of all of the change you spend and convert it into partial stars for you. Of course, that also means adjustments to the Green and Gold membership levels as well as the number of stars it takes to get a free drink. Customers with 300 or more stars will be considered Gold-level, while the Welcome level will go away entirely — being replaced with a simplified two-tiered membership model. Freebies will be rewarded to Gold members with 125 stars to redeem. Everything else about the old system, including free refills on drip coffee and tea, will stay the same.

You can also bid adieu to the woman in front of you in line who divides her bill over five different credit cards to maximize her star rewards. With the new system, customers will no longer be rewarded extra stars for splitting up purchases over multiple payment methods, which means shorter lines and faster bed-to-coffee speeds.

Here is the breakdown of the changes for those of you not fully caffeinated.

1. More Stars Per Visit

Instead of just one star per visit to the 'Bucks, you'll receive two stars for each dollar that you spend. So, go ahead and add that extra shot of espresso!

2. 300 Stars Will Get You The Gold

Instead of the previous 30 stars, customers will have to hit 300 stars before they are considered Gold level. The Welcome membership level is being absorbed by Green, and all customers that are currently Welcome-level members will be automatically upgraded in April.

3. Freebies Will Run You 125 Stars

But you'll be there in no time what with your double-shot mocha Frappuccino Lite habit.

4. Birthdays, Refills, And Pay-Ahead Options Stay The Same

There are some changes, but it's largely the same.

5. Introducing Double Star Days

Gold members will be able to earn four stars for each dollar they spend on Double Star Days, which will be announced in advance, so make sure you go on the office coffee run on those days!

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