I’m sitting in a coffee shop called The Blend after boring the patient barista with a long story about my incredibly disappointing trip to Starbucks.
I over-tipped, but it still wasn’t adequate compensation for the rant she had to absorb.
You’re next (minus tip).
As most people know, Starbucks came up with the brilliant idea to change their point system, the little game you play with their app to accumulate enough purchase credits to get — holy cow! — a free drink and/or breakfast sandwich.
I read the story couple weeks ago, but lost track of time.
Because I needed a place this morning with wifi where I could work and burn some time outside the confines of my home office, I figured I’d go to Starbucks and triumphantly hold up my phone and finally — after months of patient accumulation (I don’t go there very often, frankly) — get my free fancy-pants coffee and breakfast sandwich.
Do I go to Starbucks for the coffee? No.
Who does?
It just happens to be located between the spot I need to go to drop off my son for his outstanding day program (I promise to write about RAD in the near future) and the post office, which doesn’t open until 10am (I sold something on eBay. Yippee.). This particular Starbucks also has a fairly spacious interior.
The coffee? Ehh...
So, I go in, use their bathroom (ha!), and then march to the counter to triumphantly flash my Starbucks app and cash-in my long-building, hard-earned points so I can sit down with a free fancy-pants coffee and a multi-syllabic breakfast sandwich.
We’re talking about maybe $10.50. But, of course, it’s not the money - - it’s the game. You did a thing; that thing added up; you watched your progress on your little app; time to “win” the game.
Nope.
“Sir, we can get you a free beverage, but you don’t have enough for the Bacon, Gouda, and Egg Sandwich.”
Wha….?
“They changed the points,” chimes in another person behind the counter.
“Isn’t that… March, or something?” I reply.
“Nope. It was actually yesterday,” the barista says.
This, in fact, is what happened to the Starbucks Star Game as of Feb. 13, 2023 (info courtesy of The Krazy Coupon Lady):
25 Stars (unchanged): Add an extra shot of espresso (regularly $0.70), dairy substitute (regularly $0.50), or add an extra dash of your favorite syrup (regularly $0.80)
100 Stars (previously 50 Stars): Brewed tea (regularly $3.25), coffee (regularly $2.95), or bakery item (regularly $2.25 – $3.75)
200 Stars (previously 150 Stars): Handcrafted drinks (regularly $5.25) or hot breakfast items (regularly $5.45)
300 Stars (previously 200 Stars): sandwich (regularly $7.25) or protein box (regularly $6.75)
400 Stars (unchanged): select merchandise (regularly $17.99) or at-home coffee (regularly $13.95)
Is any of that financially cataclysmic for people willing to pay more than a dollar for a medium-sized cup of average coffee?
No.
Were we betrayed?
Yes.
Starbucks pitched a game. We played the game, enduring average- to below-average over-priced coffee and snacks in order to eventually “win.” I imagine there will be many people like me visiting Starbucks this week, ready to take a cash-in-your-stars victory lap, only to be told they were betrayed. Not the worst thing in the world to contend with, but… annoying enough to make an impression.
Marketing 101: Charge all you want for a fancy cheese sandwich, but …
NEVER.
CHEAT.
THE.
GAME.
Time to locate and patronize independent shops — or smaller chains like Biggby — and forget about collecting points that get arbitrarily tossed to the wind.
With that off my chest, Happy Valentine’s Day - - and may all our troubles and frustrations be as petty and manageable as the one described above.