Starting October 15, 2013, there are more perks when you are Starbucks Gold!
More Rewards:
You can now redeem your “Lucky Dozen” rewards on bottled beverages in the ready-to-drink cold case inside Starbucks stores! This means that you can use a Lucky Dozen reward for a bottled tea, Evolution Fresh juice, a canned Refresher, or other RTD item!
Also new, when you receive your birthday reward, you’ll now get a coupon for 15% off your next purchase at StarbucksStore.com. Of course, My Starbucks Rewards Gold-level members still earn a star for each transaction at all Teavana and Evolution Fresh stores. In addition, you can now have the option of redeeming your Lucky Dozen reward for a free one ounce of tea at Teavana.
(Keep in mind My Starbucks Rewards is very seamless. You can use your Teavana – Starbucks card to earn stars, or any Starbucks card you wish – so long as it is registered to your Gold-level profile and has money on it.)
Also beginning October 15, 2013, Starbucks is reporting that many airport Starbucks stores in the United States and Canada will now be able to redeem the Lucky Dozen rewards! You’ll both earn stars, and be able to redeem them at the airport!
The cards have a new sparkle look:
There’s one more amazing thing. The new Gold cards have a pretty new sparkly look to them:
I like the sparkly version much better than the original flat-style gold cards that were issued when the program began in 2009. (In 2008, there was a Black Gold Card, but that was a very different program than the current program). So pretty! I think I may start finally use my gold card. I’ve been using an Evolution Fresh card for quite a while now.
Don’t worry if you’ve reached gold but have not yet received your card. Just make sure that you’re tracking your rewards with either the iPhone or Android app, or logging in to Starbucks.com to see all your rewards – even if you’re still waiting on your gold card to arrive, you can still earn and use your Lucky Dozen My Starbucks Rewards. (Once your profile reaches the Gold level, you start earning your rewards every twelve “stars” once you reach gold. And, you can even earn stars for buying coffee at your local grocery store.)
(Find me on Instagram as StarbucksMelody, if you’re interested.)
Edit on 10-11-13 at 5:00 p.m. — Caution – I have been able to confirm with an official Starbucks spokesperson that the breakfast sandwich promotion mentioned below was by email invite. I am sorry to disappoint, and apologize for any confusion. If you did not receive a promo email from Starbucks, then you’re not earning the bonus stars.)
Bonus stars with breakfast sandwiches now through October 15:
Last but not least, you can earn stars much faster with “bonus stars.” Right now, through October 15, 2013, Starbucks will give you 3 stars every time you’re purchasing a breakfast sandwiches! That’s one way to get to your Lucky Dozen rewards faster, or get to gold faster, if you’re not there yet!
(Edit: I was contacted by a reader who forwarded to me his email – some people got an email that offered them 5 bonus stars with each breakfast sandwich! Wow. This reader didn’t get the same email as I did. I had assumed that everyone would earn bonus stars for breakfast sandwiches, but didn’t realize that some people would earn a higher level of stars for each breakfast sandwich.)
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Ooh, I like that we can redeem rewards at Teavana, even if it is only an ounce of Tea (how many cups do you think it’ll brew?). Regarding the new, sparkly Gold Card, I have a feeling I just lost my current Gold card. 😉
If we already have the regular “flat gold” colored card, will we be receiving the new sparkly one to replace it, or is that only for new gold card members?
My wife and I are both carrying Gold Cards. Each card came about 2 weeks apart from each other. My card is smoother, while her card has texture. I’m wondering Melody if this is the same textured card that has been out for more than a year, or did they redesign it again? It’s hard to tell from the picture of the card.
Thanks for the update Melody. Like the one ounce at Teavana. Also, I am curious as to whether gold card members will get the new card. I also saw today in my email box the promo about getting 3 stars for buying a breakfast sandwich through October 15. And it is neat you can now get stars with the Evolution fresh juices. I think SB is making a great move to expand the rewards for gold card people.
@Purple1 – I had meant to include the info about bonus stars and breakfast sandwiches! Will do that now. Thank you for the reminder.
@Chgo – This design, I have heard, is very now. I’m not sure what you mean by a textured card? I know that my original one was very flat and smooth.
@Bobby – This new card is only for new card members, or you could call Starbucks Customer Service and ask them to send you a new one. 🙂
I got an email yesterday that said I get 5 bonus stars for buying a breakfast sandwich. Is that if you are a gold member already?
Hi Don – I am only aware of a promo that is 3 bonus stars. Does your email look like the image that I attached in this article? See the 3rd image (last image) in this article. I don’t think it’s five stars – I’ve been gold level for years. If you want to forward your email to me, I’d be happy to have a look at it. Use the “contact me” form on this site to reach me. 🙂
@Melody and @Don: my email also said 3 bonus stars for the breakfast sandwich.
New “gold card” looks better than the old one. But, if I have to call customer service to get it…doubtful. Had to spend ~ 30 min. talking to 4 different people and getting cut off once, about where was my Anniversary Blend tasting cup..which I ordered immediately upon receiving that email (August 25th, as it turns out). I knew the coffee and cup would be sent separately. I got the coffee almost immediately. No cup, no cup. Finally took the TIME to call yesterday and was told various things: I didn’t order one, I did order one but they were out now. They ran out sooner than they expected. bla bla bla. So, they refunded my postage (why would I buy any coffee online when I have so many Sbux within arms length?) and added 2 “rewards” to my card. None of that of course is the tasting cup. Am starting to think more and more that Sbux is outgrowing itself….it cannot keep up with its own plans. (as I was told: “bigger doesn’t mean better”)
So, right now I am a little aggravated. But, so what? Nobody is forcing me to play their game. Just disappointed that the cup never arrived, and also still awaiting instructions via email on how to redeem ‘free food item’ in Grocery store challenge. (did email C.S. about that) and then this happened to the summer of breaking things so, along with lots of other THINGS (luckily), my beloved “mystarbucksidea.com” got broken. 🙁 the one in my gravatar. oh well….. looking fwd to Thanksgiving Blend and NOT ordering it online 🙂
Denise – When you call Customer Service for StarbucksStore.com, I think there is a separate phone number for that. I know it’s on the receipt… I had called them recently. When I ordered the Panama, I bought two, but definitely only received one inside the box. I called, and they immediately offered to correct it with a 15% discount. And, I’m clear that I wasn’t getting any special service for being StarbucksMelody – I mentioned my blog on the phone, and it was clear that the person on the other end of the phone had never heard of it. (I like to joke around that I am famous, but it’s just a silly joke!)
How frustrating not to get your tasting cup. I waited forever for mine. I was almost at the point of calling CS, and it arrived.I am sorry you didn’t get one and they ran out on you! That is 100% frustrating. I too would much prefer the tasting cup over two rewards. 🙁
I’m known to say in life that one’s strengths and weaknesses are very often one and the same. Bigger is strength in terms of using scale to change things, bring awareness, help communities, and create experiences all over the world. And bigger is harder to control. I could keep writing a book here, but I’ll stop. LOL
There is also a $2.00 off any breakfast sandwich email, my wife and daughter received that. I got the 3 bonus stars one and my son has received none.
@denise r – sorry to hear about the travail of your tasting cup. Maybe you’ll luck out like I did in the following story.
When Tribute first came out there was a tasting cup offer and I ordered as soon as I received the email offer. Coffee came right away, no cup, no cup, no cup. Emails and calls were not productive, said they sold out and I said how can that be when I ordered same day and the website and order said that a cup was coming. More story, but cutting to the end, someone at Starbucks “found” a tasting cup and sent it to me with a letter of apology.
Bigger is not necessarily better and definitely harder to control.
@DadCooks – Ugh. I wish bonus stars promotions were always the same for all. It would make it easier to write about.
WHOA
Just took a careful look at the “More Choices, More Rewards” card and there may be a gotcha there. There is no mention of the food rewards. Call me a worry-wart, but too often with Starbucks (and many other companies for that matter) what the right hand gives the left hand takes away. To quote “cup…”, just sayin’
@Dadcooks – On my phone. Rushed. But, “whoa” is right. I have more to say, but with the planned overhaul of lunch sandwiches (already in testing in AZ, but I’ve heard it is coming) that could make sense?? Lunch sandwiches will get spendier?
I have not been getting any of these extra rewards emails, and yes, I am signed up on the website.
@Rachel – The thing with the emails confuses me a bit. I hope you’d get them! Some promotions have been universal, and everyone gets the benefit. Best example of that was the at-home coffee bonus stars promo from the spring of this year:
http://www.starbucksmelody.com/2013/02/20/starbucks-coffee-promo-bonus-stars-for-at-home-coffee-thru-march-31-2013/
^ Simple to explain, and everyone is in. I wish they were all designed so simply.
@DadCooks – The free food perk is still mentioned in the Starbucks newsroom article:
http://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-offers-even-more-choices-and-benefits-to-my-starbucks-rewards-mem
^ Though that’s very confusing because it talks about your birthday reward and food, but I would assume that if food is staying for a birthday reward, it should for the Lucky Dozen rewards too.
Love the 3 stars for the breakfast sandwiches and since the store sells them all day I don’t have to go in at a certain time to buy them! Score!
I got the 5 bonus star breakfast sandwich email too. I understand sending different offers to different members at different times, but to send different offers at the same time will just lead to confusion. It took me three emails to customer service and a FULL MONTH to get one of my bonus stars from labor Day weekend 🙁
@Rachel
Did you used to get Starbucks emails and then they stopped?
I was regularly getting Starbucks emails until they suddenly stopped a few years ago (this was pre-Rewards, so it was mainly new products announcements). I checked my settings – everything was checked off to receive emails. I tried resetting my account details – nothing (I had my sister forwarding the Starbucks emails she received so I knew when I was *supposed* be getting something). I temporarily switched to a different email account (it got the emails), then switched back – nothing. I talked to customer service and they ‘reset’ my mailing options – nothing. I finally switched it over to a different email account, which I then forward back to my primary email – that works.
If you try this, be aware that if you ‘join’ a Star Dash it must be done from the email account associated with your Starbucks account, otherwise you get a message saying ‘this is not the email associated with your account message’ and you won’t get ‘entered’ until you join from the originating email.
Strangely the same thing happened to my sister a few months ago and she ended up doing the forwarded email thing, too.
No bonus star emails for me. I always come here to see what’s being offered! My son recently lost his gold card and got the new one. The baristas were excited to see it since they knew it was out there but none had seen it yet. I’ve had good luck with the online store so far. Ordered and received Tribute and Anniversary taster’s cups. But now I’ll be a little worried about ordering them in the future since others have had issues with getting theirs.
Is it such that the deal works even if we didn’t receive the email? Like others, I used to receive these special offers and then they just mysteriously stopped coming a couple of years ago. It’s been ages since I received any sort of special deal– since the introduction of oatmeal, actually.
Unlike most of the special codes which you can access on your Starbucks app rewards listing, the number of stars you get is never shown online or on the app. I also got five stars for a breakfast sandwich, but then again I regularly get BOGOS and the dollar off espresso/25% off espresso electronic coupons. I average out at four visits a month, with most of my current Starbucks drinking Vias I purchase at the store or on eBay, so they are trying to get me in the store more. They are trying to convert me into a more frequent visitor by showering me with coupons, but I’m so used to them now that if I don’t take advantage of one another one will be around in a couple of weeks.
@Jason – That’s a good question – Are there any bonus stars if you didn’t get an email. I’ll try to follow up on that, if I can.
I never get emails for promos, either 🙁 I checked the website to make sure that I’ve opted-in to emails, and I have (I think). I get an email when I reload my card or when I have my Lucky Dozen available, so that works. I have to check here to find out about other deals…good to know about the extra stars for breakfast sandwich purchases! Thanks for keeping me in the loop!
No breakfast sandwich bonus stars for me. Instead, it’s three bonus stars for oatmeal. Also, just to clarify, it’s three EXTRA stars, so I earned a total of four with today’s purchase. Images: https://www.dropbox.com/s/syulijiubvzoel7/Screenshot%202013-10-10%2015.09.53.png https://www.dropbox.com/s/xmfctgqqromgk2t/Screenshot%202013-10-10%2015.08.34.png
(And remember to buy a drink for someone else at the same time to receive free coffee for yourself…through tomorrow, that is.)
I am curious as to how SB decided on what customer gets 3 extra stars vs. 5 extra stars for purchasing the breakfast sandwich? Perhaps, it is broken down by region?
Bummer, I didn’t get an email about bonus stars. I do get promotions from SB occasionally so I know my email is not rejecting them.
Also I’m digging the new gold card. If they are only for new gold card holders, Melody how did you manage to get one? Did you call CS and request a new one?
@Carl – Oh my goodness. I find that to be a little annoying as a strategy. If you send a bunch of different offers out at one time (all at the same time) to customers it will create confusion. And, there will be customers who trying to engage and dialogue baristas about these promotions, and frankly rightfully so, I’d expect partners to be confused – they don’t know if that customer got one version of the breakfast sandwich promo, a different version of the breakfast sandwich promo, or an oatmeal promo, or maybe even don’t know all the different variations of promotions. The conversations at the register will happen, and they’ll end up sounding like moments of confusion.
Ugh.
@Mahoro – I think typically when someone wants a new gold card, the usual process is to call Customer Service and either say that you want a new one and/or say that your old card has been lost, stolen, or damaged. I bypassed the normal process for getting a gold card. I do have a few contacts inside the Starbucks headquarters, and so I went directly to someone I knew, and was able to get more faster that way. Sorry – I know that’s not helpful to hear. Just give Customer Service a call – I would be curious what they say to you!
Melody, do you know if it’s possible to get a replacement for a *black* card? I’ve been using mine ever since I got it five years ago, but the magstripe is wearing out. I took a peek at eBay and it seems they’re going for $15-20! I don’t really want to switch to the flat gold card, but at this rate…
No bonus star email of any kind for me. I’m really getting sick of Starbucks’ recent love of targeted promotions; this is not the first I’ve been denied this year. It makes me feel less valued as a loyal customer to not receive offers like this. It’s like they’re taking advantage of me – they know I’ll continue visiting either way.
I contacted Customer Service about the discrepancy between the 3 star and 5 star emails and was told it was a luck of the draw. It’s also the reason as to why some people get emails and other don’t (another reason they gave was they didn’t want to “overwhelm” the system, so not everyone gets the emails).
Apparently I don’t have any luck because I hardly even get email promotions (even after Customer Service “reset” my email opt-ins) and never get promotions uploaded onto my mobile app.
Regarding the different e-mails for Breakfast Sandwich Bonus Stars:
Being a Merchant for another retailer, I know that we do similar tests that randomly give different users deals at varying amounts in order to see which has the most effect on getting customers to shop. My guess is that they’re testing to see how many bonus stars should become a permanent bonus for food purchases. Given that this is an area they want to grow (i.e. La Boulange), it would make sense that they would make bonus stars a long-term fixture in order to drive store traffic and average order values higher
…Just my two cents
I also got the ‘5 bonus stars for a Breakfast Sandwich’ e-mail, but I wish it was for something else, since the last & only time I bought one, it wasn’t very good/fresh. I’ll give it a try again, maybe they improved since then. The best way to check for Starbucks e-mails is to periodically utilize the search feature in your e-mail, searching all folders for any misguided ones.
I am anxiously awaiting my gold card! It has been almost 2 months so I earned it, so hopefully I’ll get it any day now.
I didn’t get a sandwich e-mail at all. 🙁
@LB – I hope you get it soon! I’m sorry you didn’t get this email. Be sure to track your rewards, nonetheless. You are earning stars and rewards even before your actual gold card arrives in the mail. I use the Android phone app to keep track of what rewards I have available.
@Kati, Star, and Laily – and many others, I have been meaning to say thank you for the comments. Insightful comments.
Thank you for calling Customer Service. I’ve heard these rewards are random. It’s just a layer of confusion to have multiple variations on rewards going out at the same time to selected customers.
@Star – This year has had a number of bonus star promos. I think some of what happening is that Starbucks is constantly figuring out what their own tolerance level for adding more stars is. I suspect, some day, the rewards program will go through a major overhaul of stars per dollar amount, or some other scaled means of giving stars – even if it is years down the road.
Have to run! I apologize for being bad about replying to comments. I appreciate them always.
Long term I can see Starbucks moving to a spending based rewards system, much like how Southwest Airlines moved from a trip based system to a spending based system.
Just like how people were taking short hops and redeeming them for a trip across the country, there are people that buy drip who redeem them for food or a much more expensive drink. So it will be like the hotel chains where you earn 5 or 10 points per dollar spent, with each point worth a penny towards something on the menu. Or you earn a “star” for every X number of points you earn, if you want to keep the “star” model (and avoid transitional period messes like when Southwest changed from a trip based to dollar based system).
Melody, I have already earned my free item 😀 I did e-mail them today, and someone got back to me pretty quickly and said I should have received it by now, and they are going to send me another one. Thanks for this post, it totally reminded me to check into it! Can’t wait to get my pretty sparkly card!!
The new Gold Card is SUPER PRETTY 🙂 I first saw it from your tweet the other day. SO SHINY 😀 I also *finally* got to try entering a star code when I picked up a bag of Pike Place at the grocery store last week. I love that we get stars for grocery store pick ups now. I’m glad I read your post on the breakfast sandwiches. I got an email but forgot about it. I’m going to see about getting a sandwich while I’m out and about this weekend 🙂 I’m all about collecting the stars!
I wish this was sent out to all users testing the new La Boulange breakfast sandwiches. I know they must have a strategy for whom they send the offers to, but what it is I will likely never know.
I think I’m going to call and request the new card… The app is so easy, but that card looks beautiful!
Weird, I just recently got an email to get bonus stars for purchasing a breakfast sandwich (expires Nov 5th). It seems so random I’m getting it 2 weeks after everyone else.
@Maharo – It could be that you got a new breakfast sandwich promotion email. It seems like there are constant bonus stars promotions going on. It definitely shows that Starbucks can give out tons of stars!
Hey everyone. Just a quick note regarding those bonus stars on the breakfast sandwiches.
I received BOTH the 3 bonus star email in mid-October and the 5 bonus star invite last week, then also a $1 off breakfast sandwich to use on those purchases. Make sure you check your account after making these purchases because both times I had to write them to get my bonus stars. Seems after a crazy month of going to Starbucks “too” regularly, they are sending me different offers just about every other day. I have received more offers in the last couple of weeks than in the last two years!
Also, Melody, will Starbucks be sending us the new sparkly Gold card? I already have a Gold card from last year, but just qualified for Gold again for next year. Thanks!
If you want a new gold card, be sure to transfer the balance on your old card to another card. Customer service told me this.
Yu have to call CS to get a new one..I did and they said my gold card would be deactivated..so I did it.
I reached 30 stars last month sometime.
I am waiting for my gold card to get here. I have
the app on phone. Much easier than carrying
around my card. I have a friend that there
card on there phone went gold after they
recieved 30 stars. Mine has not done that
so when I use my card at the store nobody
Knows I am at gold level now. Is that supposed to
happen once you reach gold status?
I’ve been reading all the posts but I’m still confused about how to redeem my Lucky dozen…it doesn’t make since to me. How do the barista’s know I have a reward available for a free drink with out a Gold card?
@AmandaBarton – Amanda, I hope I can help! You really have track your own rewards with the Starbucks card. All of the rewards are attached to your profile at Starbucks.com/card – For me, the easiest thing to do is use the Android app, and then periodically log in, and check what rewards are listed, despite that I still prefer to pay with an actual registered card – and you can pay with any registered card on your starbucks.com/card profile.
If you see that have a reward, then you say to the barista “I would like to use a reward.” You have to be specific. Once in a while, you’ll get a confused partner. You can even get a free drink at Teavana – I was at the Teavana concept store (a special unique store here in Seattle with lots of food and beverages) and ordered a sparkling tea made with coconut water – and said, “I’d like to use a free drink.” The barista figured it out. And then the barista swipes your card. The register can access data at starbucks.com/card, and presto, your beverage is free!
It is the same for food. You can grab a panini or a salad, and say, “I’d like to use my reward on this salad (or sandwich).”
I have heard that if it is your birthday, you’ll have specific that you’re using a birthday reward.
The key is that really have to be watching your own rewards. I am sure that lots of people lose rewards because they simply don’t ever speak up and say, “I’d like to use a reward on this xyz item … (this salad, frappuccino, or whatever it is)”
Sometimes, I wonder if the many lost rewards make the whole rewards program more affordable to Starbucks, but I have no idea. I just know that the more affirmative steps required to redeem a reward, the fewer people who will redeem it …
If you are not use a mobile phone app to track rewards, then you’ll have to go to Starbucks.com, log in, and view your rewards there.
Indeed, I’d made a presumption before my birthday last year that when I asked for a free item, it would automatically redeem that one. Indeed, when redeeming regular rewards, the system automatically pulls the one expiring first. However, if you don’t specifically ask for the birthday item and you have other free ones, the regular free items (which will often have a longer expiration date) will be used first.