For many years in a row, Starbucks has offered a “Coffee and Tea Refill Tumbler.” The first time Starbucks offered this tumbler, it was available for sale late 2011. The tumbler offered free coffee in January 2012, with a price tag of $19.95. In 2014, the same Brewed Coffee Refill Tumbler was offered again, and was $30.
The concept is that you buy the special “Coffee and Tea Refill Tumbler” and you can get a free brewed coffee or tea in it daily, during the month of January 2016. This year, it is $40. The tumbler is available now at StarbucksStore.com or in stores starting tomorrow (though I’ve heard many stories that many stores have it available now, Thanksgiving Day).
I’m just going to lay my opinion on the line, knowing that some may bristle at it. I always promise that I’ll be honest with you. Starbucks doesn’t pay me to produce this website.
There are distinct pros and cons to this tumbler.
The pros:
This year’s tumbler looks beautiful, and appears to be a nice stainless steel design.
If you are addicted to coffee, this might be fun.
You can get hot coffee or tea.
It possibly could be a lovely gift for someone.
The Cons:
At $40 for the tumbler (and assuming a grande brewed coffee is about $2.45 (prices may vary)) you would need to frequent Starbucks at a minimum, about 16 times in the month of January. This isn’t realistic for the majority of customers. Most customers go to Starbucks about 6 times in a month. Sixteen (16)is a magic number at Starbucks: Only about 20% of customers visit more than 16 times in a month. Think of the 80/20 rule of business!
It’s quite possible that you’ll get bored of 16 cups of Pike Place Roast.
It ALWAYS causes confusion at the register: Things like syrups, cafe mistos, and more cause confusion. And if you can’t get a pump of syrup in it as part of the free coffee, it makes it even less worth it. Sometimes you’ll encounter baristas who don’t even know that the tumbler offers anything at all free in it.
It puts the barista in the “Barista Sheriff” position. This is terrible for the Starbucks experience. “No” by human nature, feels good to people, like they’re grasping for power. (Most people won’t admit that they enjoy the power play of saying “no” – it’s an ego trip, but it is a powerful human nature thing). It’s terrible for creating loyal customers and living up to the high gold standard that Starbucks has adopted. I’ve heard plenty of stories of people trying to get hot tea in the tumbler and being told “no” or “I’ll do it for you this time” because hot tea is expensive.
You can’t use the tumbler at the Roastery. This also cycles back to how uninteresting it is to drink 16 cups of Pike Place Roast: There are now more than 1,400 Reserve Starbucks in the US. Being able to get something else in the cup would break up the monotony. I understand why Reserve coffee is not included in the tumbler. I personally though, don’t want to drink the coffee-of-the-day, all month at Starbucks.
Experienced customers (meaning the one who would most likely use this tumbler – the 20% of business – and the ones that Starbucks wants to keep) understand that the word “refill” at Starbucks means iced tea, iced coffee, hot brewed coffee, or hot tea.
You can’t get iced tea or iced coffee in the tumbler – which is just silly. If the tumbler can’t hold up to an iced drink, it’s not the quality of tumbler you would want to buy. And there’s no question, iced tea and iced coffee are extremely high profit margin drinks. Being able to get even a simple iced passion tea in the tumbler would break up the monotony.
It’s a tumbler that is rigid and inflexible what you can get in it. It’s expensive this year – granted in a beautiful tumbler – but most people buying this want to save money. And it has a distinct track record of creating bad experiences at the register.
I come down on the side of the argument not in favor of getting the tumbler. For me, it is not worth it. Rigid and inflexible and creates bad experiences every single year. I always get emails, stories, and questions about this tumbler and read about bad experiences on social media sites.
If you, by chance, really love drinking Pike Place Roast or other coffee of the day, without a break in what you order, maybe this tumbler is for you. (And assuming you’re in the 20% of customers who really go to Starbucks more than 16 times a month).
If you’re thinking of buying this as a gift for a friend for Christmas, maybe a $40 Starbucks gift card would be just as nice?
Reasonable minds may differ. It’s silly to think we will all agree. I’m sure this tumbler will have its fans.
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Never mind my previous post…
If you are in the market for a hot drink tumbler, and drink coffee semi-regularly then it’s a good buy. Similar tumblers at Starbucks goes for $16-$19. After 9-10 cups you break even.
For me, I buy coffee at work every day. It is $1.80 a cup and tastes burnt. That’s roughly $50 a month for bad coffee. A Starbucks around nearly every corner makes it easy to pop in and enjoy better tasting coffee. Bonus: I get a souvenir tumbler. I have only had a problem with 1 barista so far. He asked for my code, like I should know it. I did not realize at the time it is printed on the side of the tumbler, but apparently neither did he! He went to the back then entered a code when he got back. Luckily, that was not one of my local stores. Coffee, Tea, no problem locally. I’m curious though, how do they know I didn’t already get a coffee down the street if I ask for a tea later that day in a differnt store? I don’t know that the code is tumbler specific. I haven’t seen them look at the code yet, and they don’t scan my member card…
As for Starbucks, they just want new addicts. I think it is a good tactic. Maybe they will expand that 20%.
@alyssaheartscoffee
You can get as many coffees or teas as you like its a general code and u can use the cup all day every day at different stores or same!!! Enjoy
say no to starbucks!
make gift giving complicated?
donated my cup to a homeless woman, perhaps,
she will be more successful .
Anyone know – one Starbucks rang this up somehow with code and scanned my phone so that I earned a star. Seemed reasonable since I didn’t “earn” any rewards when I bought the $40 cup. However, no other Starbucks has done that. Just want to fill the cup and no record that I have used it for the day. Since the offer says once a day, seems they would want to “track” this.
Awesome month so far – doing an average of 2 cups daily so far. Still have 20 more days left for the month. By not using your card – they can’t tell how often you used the magic code of 2444
Well that was special … I have two refill tumblers and was told today that I can’t use both at the same time! Just wanted a coffee and tea … no extras, nothing special – and yhatbwas after I pointed out the code 2444. Barista also believed that the tumbler was only good for 10 cents off and that after I paid for the first drink I could get a free refill. This has been an expensive and annoying test of my patience for PLAIN COFFEE OR TEA. Looking forward to February to break in my new Kreuig SANS starbucks
I’ve been using it every day for hot tea or coffee – often getting two drinks (with two cups) without a problem. I’m a Mocha/Latte/cappuccino drinker normally, but they’ll put steamed soy and vanilla or chocolate in too. 1/2 the stores charge extra for one or both, and the others don’t. One manager told me if it’s 2 ounces or less of steamed soy, they’re not supposed to charge at all. And that they’re even supposed to give free Macchiotos with the cup! But when they do charge for the soy or syrup, I use my Starbucks card. It’s usually $.60. 12 times $.60 earns me a free blended drink or even a $6.00 + sandwich. So I don’t complain.
I’d like to buy one of these tumblers for personal use but not for the refills. So this means that it wouldn’t be worth $40 to me. Once January’s over, this tumbler will be like any other. Is there a way to purchase one for $20 or so near or after the end of January?
@Leeron – Unless you really like the design of that specific tumbler, Starbucks carries lots of other tumblers/travel mugs in the $20-$25 range. Some of them are currently on sale on-line and may also be in store (their Christmas season stuff is probably on sale right now).
The refill tumbler is still available on-line and may go on sale once January is over. However, I’ve seen several complaints on-line about people having problems with the lid leaking, so that is something to keep in mind. There are also complaints about it being hard to get the lid on properly (which may relate to the leaking issue).
I recommend going to a store and checking out several different mugs to see how easy they are to take apart/put together and what type of drink opening each has. I also suggest looking at the comments on individual mugs on-line to see if there are any consistent problems being reported (leaking, breaking, etc).
Also keep in mind that Starbucks carries both acrylic and metal tumblers. And generally two different sizes: 12 oz (tall) & 16 oz (grande). I prefer the metal ones as they keep your drink hot much longer and are much sturdier if you are prone to dropping them (the acrylic ones are likely to chip or crack when dropped). If you plan to use this tumbler while commuting, also note if the mug will fit in your cup holder (ones with broader bases may not). I currently own the “Stainless Steel Siren’s Poem Tumbler, 16 fl oz” and am very happy with it.
Here’s the US store link for tumblers/travel mugs: http://store.starbucks.com/drinkware/tumblers-and-travel-mugs/
Thanks for your feedback Jo. I currently own 2 stainless steel Starbucks travel mugs and a ceramic tumbler but when I held the January tumbler in my hands briefly while buying a coffee at Starbucks yesterday I fell in love with the color and heft of the mug. It felt substantial and ancient.
Then I saw the $40 price tag and had to laugh. I could never recoup that cost in a month’s worth of refills so I didn’t buy it. However I would like to have it at $20.
But if it has leaking issues I’ll pass this time.
Thanks again for the heads up. Great forum you have here!
I’ve been to the 3 Starbucks in my area and the code on the cup “2444” includes your choice of hot coffee, hot tea, iced coffee, iced tea or a Misto (1/2 milk & 1/2 hot coffee). I’ve ordered all 5 items throughout the month but my fav is the Misto. I was told by one of the supervisors that if I get a barista that does not know the deal, “Ask them to just try the code with my order.”. I haven’t had any problems, but I guess it could be a regional thing.
The tumbler is back again this year at the $40 price point. At the $20 point it was an awesome deal, at $30 so-so, and at $40 not worth arguing with the barista if I want a misto or a decaf/half caf pourover, especially when I have acceptable coffee at work.
@Calwatch – I am about to write an article on it. Yes, it’s a crazy situation. Starbucks has NEVER released the “Refill” tumbler without creating massive confusion with their partners.
Calwatch – I am working on an article and saw this comment on FB – Truth!
“I agree Melody Overton. It’s not worth the hassle for customers unless they are a plain brewed coffee drinker. Anything else always causes confusion and issues and ends up with frustrated, upset customers.”
Nothing but good things to say this year, just got my last cup of coffee today which puts me at somewhere around 40 cups it’s somewhere around $2.30 it’s well worth the $40. Never had a single problem with the Baristas I could sit there for an hour and drink my cup and walk right back up and have them refill it, in past years that wasn’t always the case. I noticed the Pikes blend was mentioned several times in this article but in the mornings they always have a blonde roast available and a dark roast all day and if you ask your barista nice she’ll make you a pour-over of anything you want