Whether you are a coffee addict or a seasonal coffee drinker, chances are you are swipe your credit card (or, hopefully, scan your digital gift card) at Starbucks pretty often.
The ability to accrue credit card rewards and Starbucks Stars on every purchase can help ease the pain of high prices that can come with your favorite brews.
But starting February 13, 2023, it will take more caffeine than ever to earn a free drink and cake at Starbucks. To the disappointment of the Redeemer of the Stars everywhere, Starbucks Rewards announced the changes to its acquisition rate.
Specifically, here are the new requirements:
- 100 stars: Exchange for coffee or tea of any size (hot or iced), a cake, packaged snack, a 24-ounce cold-siren takeout plastic cup, or a heated plastic mug with the Siren 16 logo ounce.
- 200 stars: Any craft drink or hot breakfast item.
- 300 stars: Any lunch bag, salad, protein box, or packaged coffee (such as whole bean coffee).
For reference, here are the old requirements valid until February 13:
- 25 stars: Adjusting drinks (such as drinking more)
- 50 stars: Any size hot coffee, tea or a bakery item
- 150 stars: Craft drinks (including iced coffee), oatmeal or breakfast sandwiches
- 200 stars: Lunch sandwiches, salads or protein boxes
- 400 stars: Packaged coffee or single item up to $20
This new points redemption rate won’t be good if you want to redeem your Stars for bakery items, most drink options, lunch sandwiches etc that will cost less than 100 Stars with these changes. Also, iced coffee drinkers who were punished for their love of ice with the 150 Stars category last time can take a break this time as it seems the drink’s prize price has dropped from 150 to 100 Stars .
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If you don’t like these upcoming changes and most likely won’t, you can redeem your hoarded Stars at the current exchange rate by February 13, 2023. Some coffee drinkers, however, do. may want to keep their Stars for a one-time boost of the changes going into effect. Just make sure you use your Stars within six months of earning them to make sure they don’t expire.
Regardless of your redemption strategy, make sure you’re getting maximum value from your Starbucks purchases. You’ll earn 2 Stars for every dollar by paying with a physical or digital Starbucks gift card, so top up your account with The best credit card for your Starbucks purchases and then order on your mobile device or pay the app with your Starbucks credit.
You will also want to make sure you have linked your Starbucks and Delta SkyMiles accounts. In doing so, you’ll earn at least one Delta mile for every dollar spent on your eligible Starbucks purchases.
Even with this Starbucks Rewards change, you can still earn three different types of rewards with each caffeinated purchase. And we will drink for it.
