After the change my numbers went up, I also buy more expensive drinks and not just plain coffee.
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Starbucks Rewards Program
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So, I got an offer for an extra 15 stars with the purchase of select items.... I guess it is better than getting nothing, but it seems like the rewards are really small now:
A lot has changed since my last post, but I hardly ever get Starbucks now.
Between their changing rewards program, and the Corona Virus, and the fact that my long time coffee friend got a girlfriend and I hardly ever see him now, I have only gotten Starbucks maybe 5-6 times since March.
Of those times I have gone, I only got pastries using my stars, with the exception of maybe once that I paid for a coffee.
I think I mentioned this already, but I have been using a stove top Bialetti Moka Pot for the past few years since my fancy, expensive espresso machine broke. I love my Moka Pot, and since I have been working from home, I use it everyday.
I have this one:
I use it with an electric milk frother, and make one of these daily:
A lot has changed since my last post, but I hardly ever get Starbucks now.
Between their changing rewards program, and the Corona Virus, and the fact that my long time coffee friend got a girlfriend and I hardly ever see him now, I have only gotten Starbucks maybe 5-6 times since March.
Of those times I have gone, I only got pastries using my stars, with the exception of maybe once that I paid for a coffee.
I think I mentioned this already, but I have been using a stove top Bialetti Moka Pot for the past few years since my fancy, expensive espresso machine broke. I love my Moka Pot, and since I have been working from home, I use it everyday.
I have this one:
Bialetti - Moka Espress: Iconic Stovetop Espresso Maker, Makes Real Italian Coffee, Moka Pot 6 Cups (6 Oz), Aluminium, Silver
The original moka coffee pot since 1933 The gentleman with the moustache gracing all Bialetti products represents Renato Bialetti, the son of the inventor of the Moka, Alfonso. It was designed in 1953 by the Italian artist Paul Campani. The Moka Express pot is Made in Italy and its quality is enh...
www.amazon.com
I use it with an electric milk frother, and make one of these daily:
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I've stopped going to Starbucks altogether. That's been easy since I was only doing visiting on occasion before since their major Rewards change drove me off.So, I got an offer for an extra 15 stars with the purchase of select items.... I guess it is better than getting nothing, but it seems like the rewards are really small now:
View attachment 946490
A lot has changed since my last post, but I hardly ever get Starbucks now.
Between their changing rewards program, and the Corona Virus, and the fact that my long time coffee friend got a girlfriend and I hardly ever see him now, I have only gotten Starbucks maybe 5-6 times since March.
Of those times I have gone, I only got pastries using my stars, with the exception of maybe once that I paid for a coffee.
I think I mentioned this already, but I have been using a stove top Bialetti Moka Pot for the past few years since my fancy, expensive espresso machine broke. I love my Moka Pot, and since I have been working from home, I use it everyday.
I have this one:
Bialetti - Moka Espress: Iconic Stovetop Espresso Maker, Makes Real Italian Coffee, Moka Pot 6 Cups (6 Oz), Aluminium, Silver
The original moka coffee pot since 1933 The gentleman with the moustache gracing all Bialetti products represents Renato Bialetti, the son of the inventor of the Moka, Alfonso. It was designed in 1953 by the Italian artist Paul Campani. The Moka Express pot is Made in Italy and its quality is enh...www.amazon.com
I use it with an electric milk frother, and make one of these daily:
View attachment 946489
Anyway, there's been a rash of stories on the news of baristas spitting in cops drinks. If they can do that, I figure it's pretty easy for them to spit in mine if they decide to for whatever reason.
I'm not going to give them that chance. My wife and I are looking for some sort of machine at home now. Starbucks is fast becoming the Wells Fargo of the coffee world.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I have like a 1000 stars because I always forget to use them. I had a bunch expire too. I'll probably get a mug or something with the stars. That little shopping area inside always has lots of nice goodies 😊
The only thing that keeps me going at Starbucks is my favorite frappucino.
If I had the space for another kitchen gadget (to crush ice) and if I had a freezer that made ice automatically, then I'd probably just make my own at home.
Starbucks has been giving a lot of 'buy 2 get 50 stars' over the summer; but they are starting to back off that lately.
If I had the space for another kitchen gadget (to crush ice) and if I had a freezer that made ice automatically, then I'd probably just make my own at home.
Starbucks has been giving a lot of 'buy 2 get 50 stars' over the summer; but they are starting to back off that lately.
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I am not sure what type of coffee drinks you and your wife are into, but I have really enjoyed my Moka Pot. The Moka Pot has helped me break away from getting expensive coffee drinks like Starbucks. Not only is it cheaper, but it tastes a lot better, imo.
I use it was this Frother:
Aroma Aroma Hot Froth X-Press Milk Frother, Stainless Steel
Bring the coffeehouse experience home with the Aroma Hot Froth X-Press Milk Frother. There's no need to fuss with steam wands, the Hot Froth X-Press will create the perfect amount of froth at the press of a button. With a high heat, medium heat and no heat setting, your milk will be to just the t...
www.amazon.com
It must be sold out, as the buying options have it priced crazy high, but normally it is around $40-$50.
The reviews are not great @ 3.5 stars, but I am pretty sure this is due to the high failure rate. I used the prior model for years and had it replaced many times under warranty and also me repurchasing it.
I keep on getting a new one because the performance is way better than many other brands I have tried, and it is worth dealing with having to get a replacement.
For the stove top Moka Pot, I use this:
Bialetti - Moka Espress: Iconic Stovetop Espresso Maker, Makes Real Italian Coffee, Moka Pot 6 Cups (6 Oz), Aluminium, Silver
The original moka coffee pot since 1933 The gentleman with the moustache gracing all Bialetti products represents Renato Bialetti, the son of the inventor of the Moka, Alfonso. It was designed in 1953 by the Italian artist Paul Campani. The Moka Express pot is Made in Italy and its quality is enh...
www.amazon.com
It says "6 cups", but it only actually makes about 12 ounces of actual coffee per brew.
It is great for just myself and the huge coffee cup use, but if I was making coffee for more than one person, I would recommend a larger size like the 9 or 12 cup size Moka Pot.
I do a slight mod to it, as I do not like the coffee residue that is left from using a metal filter. The residue is similar to a French press or percolator. Not only do I find it unappealing, but there have been links to health risks to it.
I use a drip brew coffee filter, placed in between the two half that screw together. It makes the Moka Pot look like it is wearing a little white skirt:
For flavoring, I like to use this:
DaVinci Gourmet Classic Caramel Syrup, 25.4 Fluid Ounce (Pack of 4)
DaVinci Gourmet Classic Caramel Syrup is crafted in small batches and contains the taste of slightly burnt sugar for authentic flavor inspired by classic candy caramels. DaVinci Gourmet syrup is made with the finest ingredients like pure cane sugar and natural flavors to ensure incomparable flavo...
www.amazon.com
I ordered a plump to go with the bottles, giving me a more consistent tasting drink.
For coffee, I have tried many different brands, but for the past few years, I have been ordering from this company online:
Baltimore Coffee and Tea | Baltimore Coffee and Tea
It is a great company. They roast for your when you order, and grind to your liking. I get a fine grind for the Moka Pot.
I usually get a mix of roasts, and put 2 or 3 different ones when I brew. I change it up, but lately I have been doing a mix of Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt, Dark Roasted Rainforest Crunch Coffee, and Espresso Roma.
Like I said, I am unsure if a Moka Pot would be right for you, but I love it, and it has been one of the best purchases I have ever done.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I happy to collect stars to my necklace, I don't like bread or cakes in Starbucks and I need drinks，150 stars really take a long time.
It didn't used to. That's the problem. Starbucks knows the customer was asking for one star per item. They chose to ignore the customer and create some convoluted system that makes the payoff not worth the effort.
We are always looking for new stuff, but primarily this time a machine that can make cappucinos and lattes (and by virtue of that, espresso). The last time we had something that could do that it was an old machine that didn't function well and you needed to go to barista school to make it work. A relic my wife had held on to from the mid-80s.I am not sure what type of coffee drinks you and your wife are into, but I have really enjoyed my Moka Pot. The Moka Pot has helped me break away from getting expensive coffee drinks like Starbucks. Not only is it cheaper, but it tastes a lot better, imo.
I use it was this Frother:
Aroma Aroma Hot Froth X-Press Milk Frother, Stainless Steel
Bring the coffeehouse experience home with the Aroma Hot Froth X-Press Milk Frother. There's no need to fuss with steam wands, the Hot Froth X-Press will create the perfect amount of froth at the press of a button. With a high heat, medium heat and no heat setting, your milk will be to just the t...www.amazon.com
It must be sold out, as the buying options have it priced crazy high, but normally it is around $40-$50.
The reviews are not great @ 3.5 stars, but I am pretty sure this is due to the high failure rate. I used the prior model for years and had it replaced many times under warranty and also me repurchasing it.
I keep on getting a new one because the performance is way better than many other brands I have tried, and it is worth dealing with having to get a replacement.
For the stove top Moka Pot, I use this:
Bialetti - Moka Espress: Iconic Stovetop Espresso Maker, Makes Real Italian Coffee, Moka Pot 6 Cups (6 Oz), Aluminium, Silver
The original moka coffee pot since 1933 The gentleman with the moustache gracing all Bialetti products represents Renato Bialetti, the son of the inventor of the Moka, Alfonso. It was designed in 1953 by the Italian artist Paul Campani. The Moka Express pot is Made in Italy and its quality is enh...www.amazon.com
It says "6 cups", but it only actually makes about 12 ounces of actual coffee per brew.
It is great for just myself and the huge coffee cup use, but if I was making coffee for more than one person, I would recommend a larger size like the 9 or 12 cup size Moka Pot.
I do a slight mod to it, as I do not like the coffee residue that is left from using a metal filter. The residue is similar to a French press or percolator. Not only do I find it unappealing, but there have been links to health risks to it.
I use a drip brew coffee filter, placed in between the two half that screw together. It makes the Moka Pot look like it is wearing a little white skirt:
View attachment 950891
For flavoring, I like to use this:
DaVinci Gourmet Classic Caramel Syrup, 25.4 Fluid Ounce (Pack of 4)
DaVinci Gourmet Classic Caramel Syrup is crafted in small batches and contains the taste of slightly burnt sugar for authentic flavor inspired by classic candy caramels. DaVinci Gourmet syrup is made with the finest ingredients like pure cane sugar and natural flavors to ensure incomparable flavo...www.amazon.com
I ordered a plump to go with the bottles, giving me a more consistent tasting drink.
For coffee, I have tried many different brands, but for the past few years, I have been ordering from this company online:
Baltimore Coffee and Tea | Baltimore Coffee and Tea
www.baltcoffee.com
It is a great company. They roast for your when you order, and grind to your liking. I get a fine grind for the Moka Pot.
I usually get a mix of roasts, and put 2 or 3 different ones when I brew. I change it up, but lately I have been doing a mix of Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt, Dark Roasted Rainforest Crunch Coffee, and Espresso Roma.
Like I said, I am unsure if a Moka Pot would be right for you, but I love it, and it has been one of the best purchases I have ever done.
Times have changed, so we're hoping to find something that isn't going to cost us a commercial grade price to own, but that can make coffee shop drinks without much hassle. I don't mind a little effort, but I'm really not good with the frothing stuff.
Right now, money is tight so it will wait a while.
Anyway, you had mentioned the Moka Pot earlier so I do intend to look that up. All different kinds of ways to make regular coffee and they all have their appeal. We have a percolater, a pour-over kit and a french press too, a Moka Pot might be a nice addition.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
Prior to using the Moka Pot, I had a relatively expensive ($600) electronic pump espresso machine. I found it for 50% off @ Target as a special order return, and got it to replace a cheap espresso machine that I had. It was nice, and did an excellent job with making Lattes, which was my go-to drink.
While I did enjoy the espresso, my favorite part was steaming and frothing the milk. It wasn't automatic and had a learning curve to it, but once I figured it out, it was easy.
Maybe 5 or 6 years ago, the machine started to have problems. The steaming tube would start to not work, or only work sometimes. At the time, I was getting a new home, and was looking to downsize my appliance, so I ended up trashing it and got a Keurig.
The Keurig was fine for tea, but didn't really meet my coffee needs. I was going to Starbucks multiple times a day back then.
In an effort to try something new and not spend so much at Starbucks, I got the Moka Pot.
The electronic milk frother isn't like steamed milk, but it is an decent alternative.
While the Moka Pot isn't technically espresso, it tastes kind of similar, and I actually prefer my Moka Pot coffee over my old expensive espresso machine coffee.
I may look into another espresso machine one day, but for right now, the Moka Pot fits my need. I think it might be a good choice for you to at least try, especially with it being cheap.
I still have my gold card but do a mobile order when I order Starbucks which is 2-3 times a month. I also have the Chase Starbucks Rewards Debit Card and make food purchases with that at work to accumulate more stars. My stars don’t expire, so I’m currently sitting at 731 stars. The star dashes haven’t been good so I only participate if it’s a good one and Happy Hour with my daughter. She love the mango dragonfruit drink as do I.
It used to be that you got a free drink on your birthday. Starbucks would send you a card and it was good for 30 days. That was fine.
Then, with Rewards they rolled it on to your card. Still 30 days.
With the major Rewards change back a while they decided to give you only four days.
With regards to Stars, how is it yours are not expiring? That was one of the major changes where they just took them away after a while.
PS. I still have my Gold card, I also have my Black Card - the one they gave to customers who paid the flat fee per year to get discounts and use the WiFi before rolling those customers into the Rewards program. There's also my very first SB card that I got in 2000, and a few others I got afterwards.
None of them get used anymore.
I also still have my Blockbuster Video card, if anyone cares about that.
I make sure to keep mine within reach in case I might need it.I also still have my Blockbuster Video card, if anyone cares about that.
It used to be that you got a free drink on your birthday. Starbucks would send you a card and it was good for 30 days. That was fine.
Then, with Rewards they rolled it on to your card. Still 30 days.
With the major Rewards change back a while they decided to give you only four days.
With regards to Stars, how is it yours are not expiring? That was one of the major changes where they just took them away after a while.
PS. I still have my Gold card, I also have my Black Card - the one they gave to customers who paid the flat fee per year to get discounts and use the WiFi before rolling those customers into the Rewards program. There's also my very first SB card that I got in 2000, and a few others I got afterwards.
None of them get used anymore.
I also still have my Blockbuster Video card, if anyone cares about that.
If you have the Chase Starbucks credit card or debit card, your stars never expire. I also remember when you had 30 days to use your birthday drink. Now I have to remember to use it on my birthday or I lose it. The rewards before they changed it were better and I was always in Starbucks with my daughter, but now I only go 2-3 times a month for certain drinks.
Received an email from Starbucks yesterday saying they are changing the way rewards are working in the UK. Rather than 15 stars and you get a free drink and 50 for Gold.
It's now 3 stars for every £1 spent
150 stars for a free drink
450 stars for gold.
Bad deal for me who only buys 1 coffee a star, normally buy an americano in the morning around £2.25 - I can normally get in a couple of free drinks in a month. Now it's going to take me twice as long.
It's now 3 stars for every £1 spent
150 stars for a free drink
450 stars for gold.
Bad deal for me who only buys 1 coffee a star, normally buy an americano in the morning around £2.25 - I can normally get in a couple of free drinks in a month. Now it's going to take me twice as long.
Looks like the US/Canada/Puerto Rico, April 2016 change has finally reached the UK.
This is why I stopped going there in 2016.
I used to be a frequent Starbucks customer ... then they started cancelling drinks that I heavily relied on (remember the vivanno?)... Then I noticed they started restructuring their stores, letting all the experienced baristas go (lines doubled), then ... allowing homeless to sleep, shower, and take up residence ... and that was the last straw for me. Being asked for money 3-4 times on my way to order my coffee at several different locations - no thanks.
Been rocking a Keurig for a few years now - grind my own coffee beans and put them in reusable pods.
I too have one of those gold membership cards with my name on it.
Heh.
I was actually on first name basis and very friendly terms with several of the baristas at the store I used to frequent. It's the baristas that let me know the change was coming - before it came.I used to be a frequent Starbucks customer ... then they started cancelling drinks that I heavily relied on (remember the vivanno?)... Then I noticed they started restructuring their stores, letting all the experienced baristas go (lines doubled), then ... allowing homeless to sleep, shower, and take up residence ... and that was the last straw for me. Being asked for money 3-4 times on my way to order my coffee at several different locations - no thanks.
Been rocking a Keurig for a few years now - grind my own coffee beans and put them in reusable pods.
I too have one of those gold membership cards with my name on it.
That was the only aspect I was sorry about when we left. There were some good relationships there.
I can't say I've seen any homeless living at a store, but I have heard a few things on the news.
It's very unfortunate that the whole experience has become so common now that it's just a racket. When I was dating my wife it was something we did on the weekend and it wasn't a madhouse. The experience was part of it. Now it's a shouting, clamoring, banging, talk very loudly experience. Everyone's rushing because all they want is the coffee. That isn't Starbucks fault, people jumped on this train and turned it into a commodity. But changing the Rewards program like Starbucks did just reinforces that mentality.
It's transactional now and the sad part is that the coffee became mediocre.
I agree with many of your observations. As to the offers.... yes, some of them are personalized. For example, I tend to buy the iced teas and refreshers drinks (just as much as the coffee-based drinks). And guess what? Once every few weeks, I get an offer saying something like "Visit 3 times this week to buy your favorites (any iced tea or refreshers), and get rewarded xxx stars!"
Umm yeah. Starbucks isn't oblivious. They know what drinks/items we buy when we use the app to buy. They have a log of all our purchases. They know what my faves are. And when they tempt me with a generous amount of stars to buy "my usuals"..... it's hard to resist.
On the positive side: when you play the Starbucks for Life or the Summer Game regularly.... it's easy to rack up hundreds of star points. That's just playing the game on a daily basis using the "two free plays without buying anything".
Finally..... I've been buying SBX less lately, but not because of their implied stinginess. I've just found other places to buy drinks. Tea places, boba places, have started to disrupt my SBX visits.
Starbucks is still hard to beat as the reigning king of retail cafes. The closest runner-up is something like Coffee Bean.... and while their drinks are quite good, the experience SUCKS compared to SBX. The CoffeeBean app, for example, is weak and underdeveloped. Their rewards program is hardly anything to tempt you to make frequent visits. And finally, their "options" sucks to hell.... CoffeeBean is so stupid to offer almost no non-dairy alternatives. SBX already got me as a regular customer years ago because they were the first mass-retail cafe to offer almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, as non-dairy options. SBX will even offer your drink as "half-sweet" or "light whip" if you specify that option when ordering. No such options exist for Coffee Bean.
If you even so much as ask the Coffee Bean counter barista if you can have your latte with a non-dairy option, or to make your ice blended drink "half-sweet", they will give you that look like you're some space alien speaking gibberish. In the end, love em or detest em, Starbucks is still light years ahead of the competition.
So within the last six months Black Rock Coffee has established a location in my area. Finally got around to visiting it and have to say I like their coffee better than Starbucks. Of course, my other local coffee shop is also better than Starbucks, but it doesn't have a drivethru.
Looks like we're done Starbucks.
Looks like we're done Starbucks.
I found a little coffee retailer - https://happymugcoffee.com/ - the owner actively replies to emails - been ordering from them for the last 6+ years - used to have a Behmor 1600 roaster but now I don't have enough time, so I order roasted coffee from them monthly and put it in reusable Keurig pods to get my "nice" coffee fix. Peruvian all the way!
Nothing beats that cup of coffee I had from a Highlands farmer, in Peru, at the Lima food festival in 2010. ... That was such an eyeopener. Going from a double french roast drinker to absolutely loving the light roast Peruvian... My wife being from Peru probably had a big impact on that <cough>.
But I can definitely taste the difference between a 2 pound Costco bag of San Jose and a 2 pound bag of Peruvian beans from HappyMugCoffee.
I can't stand waiting in line, seeing that tip jar (I'm a sucker for tips), and then having to go somewhere to drink.
We've been going to Colado's Coffee for a while. That kind of stopped when I lost my job in late 2019 (business was sold) and money got tight. But it's real good coffee. They also just got so busy that a lot of the time it's standing room only and their WiFi is overloaded (or down), so while it's really good, the whole point of our going (to sip coffee and browse the internet) was kind of taken away.I found a little coffee retailer - https://happymugcoffee.com/ - the owner actively replies to emails - been ordering from them for the last 6+ years - used to have a Behmor 1600 roaster but now I don't have enough time, so I order roasted coffee from them monthly and put it in reusable Keurig pods to get my "nice" coffee fix. Peruvian all the way!
Nothing beats that cup of coffee I had from a Highlands farmer, in Peru, at the Lima food festival in 2010. ... That was such an eyeopener. Going from a double french roast drinker to absolutely loving the light roast Peruvian... My wife being from Peru probably had a big impact on that <cough>.
But I can definitely taste the difference between a 2 pound Costco bag of San Jose and a 2 pound bag of Peruvian beans from HappyMugCoffee.
I can't stand waiting in line, seeing that tip jar (I'm a sucker for tips), and then having to go somewhere to drink.
They've since opened a new location, but we haven't been there since that opened.
Pandemic pretty much killed my Starbucks habit. It was part of my daily routine - mostly, because I could eat a pastry on my drive to work. but once I got shifted to working from home, and the store went drive-thru only, I couldn't justify getting in my car to drive the 1/2 mile to get coffee. It took me months, but I learned to make my cold brew myself.
I lost rewards. The store stayed drive-thru only for too long. I'm about to have stars expire. I've been twice since they opened back up for "pickup" (no dine-in), and the first time was horrible (I was still figuring out the right milk to coffee brew ratio, and did not think it was humanly possible to make a worse cup of coffee than I could do on my own).
I'd have gone with a local shop, but there were none close enough that opened early enough (7AM work start, and I do a quick walk before I sit at my desk; old routine had me grab coffee & a pastry, eat the pastry on the drive to work, then the cold brew would sit on my desk while I did a walk around my office grounds before my work shift ... totally a 'me' thing; almost ... meditation - I didn't have to talk to anyone (except security, who got used to me wandering around), and I found it made for a better start to my work day).
I may go back once we're back in the office, but that's likely not going to be before the end of the year. I have time to figure it out.
I agree tho. The stars program has gotten less and less rewarding, and all the games they do (summer board game, etc) just ... lost my interest.
I lost rewards. The store stayed drive-thru only for too long. I'm about to have stars expire. I've been twice since they opened back up for "pickup" (no dine-in), and the first time was horrible (I was still figuring out the right milk to coffee brew ratio, and did not think it was humanly possible to make a worse cup of coffee than I could do on my own).
I'd have gone with a local shop, but there were none close enough that opened early enough (7AM work start, and I do a quick walk before I sit at my desk; old routine had me grab coffee & a pastry, eat the pastry on the drive to work, then the cold brew would sit on my desk while I did a walk around my office grounds before my work shift ... totally a 'me' thing; almost ... meditation - I didn't have to talk to anyone (except security, who got used to me wandering around), and I found it made for a better start to my work day).
I may go back once we're back in the office, but that's likely not going to be before the end of the year. I have time to figure it out.
I agree tho. The stars program has gotten less and less rewarding, and all the games they do (summer board game, etc) just ... lost my interest.
I'm quoting you again, because I forgot about this part.
This bugs me. There never used to be a tip jar. I've been going to Starbucks since 1996 and tip jars only started to appear in stores in my area around 2010 or so. Why?
I get that some people want to tip the barista. I'm totally cool with that. What I'm not cool with is the recent pressure to tip. Like if you don't, you're a bad person for not tipping. Again, I have no problem tipping…but tipping the barista was never a thing until now. I don't see why there's pressure now.
Just this morning during the drive thru at Black Rock Coffee I was asked if I wanted to tip. Lady had an iPad out, all set to enter whatever tip. I declined.
I'm not going to be forced into doing something that I don't have to because somebody else decided for everyone else that it was 'right' or 'appropriate' when it was never a thing before.