The Starbucks Rewards system is a loyalty program that allows customers to earn points (called stars) towards future purchases simply by making a purchase as small as a morning coffee.
Free drinks, meals, and even licensed merchandise are easy to enjoy when all the stars you earn add up quickly over time.
Quick Answer: How to earn Starbucks stars
Earn Starbucks Stars by joining Starbucks Rewards and scanning your member barcode on every purchase. In the U.S., you typically earn 1 Star per $1 when you scan and pay with cash, card, or mobile wallet, and 2 Stars per $1 when you pay with a Starbucks Card.
Boost Stars with Star Codes, personal-cup bonuses, and activated Double/Triple Star or Bonus Star offers in the app.
If you want Starbucks Rewards to actually pay off, you need to know one thing: how fast you earn Stars with your current routine.
Use the calculator below, and I'll show you your estimated Stars per month, how long until a free drink, and the quickest tweak to get there faster:
Keep reading this article to learn how to earn stars at Starbucks in ways that are both fast and easy!
1. Make purchases at Starbucks stores
The most common way to earn Stars is to make a purchase as a Starbucks Rewards member.
In the US, you generally earn 1 Star per $1 when you scan your Starbucks Rewards barcode and pay with cash, debit, credit, or a mobile wallet. If you pay with a Starbucks Card, you earn 2 Stars per $1.
Stars can be earned with any purchase at Starbucks if you order a custom drink, a breakfast food item, or even a pre-packed snack box.
Whether you're going for an old favorite or trying something new, you can be assured that you'll earn stars no matter what.
Purchasing merchandise
While buying food and drinks at Starbucks is usually the main reason for going to a Starbucks, other items you purchase will earn you stars.
Customers can also earn stars by buying a wide selection of merchandise, including cups, keychains, and ornaments.
Because you earn stars based on the total money amount spent and not based on the individual item, you will be getting more stars per purchase in comparison to just a regular food or drink order.
2. Sign up for the Starbucks Rewards Program
To get even more stars with your purchases, you can sign up to become a part of the Starbucks Rewards Program.
To join this program, you must provide your personal information and choose a username and password.
After, you will be enrolled in the program to receive special offers, a Starbucks Rewards card, and notifications for times when there are more chances to earn stars exclusive to the Starbucks Rewards program.
If you use your Starbucks Rewards card, you will instead earn 2 stars for every $1 spent in-store.
While this may not seem like a big difference, the extra stars you earn will rapidly increase your star total.
3. Know what Starbucks locations give out stars
It is essential to check if the Starbucks location you are purchasing from gives out stars to its customers.
While most, if not all, standalone Starbucks locations and kiosks offer rewards stars, some do not provide this option.
This issue is more frequent in Starbucks stores located within certain grocery stores.
For example, Starbucks cafes in stores like Target usually give stars out, but check beforehand so that you know where to go to maximize your coffee orders to the fullest.
Additionally, verify that a location is indeed a Starbucks store and not just serving their brand of coffee.
A typical example is the inclusion of Starbucks at Barnes & Noble Cafes. The cafe inside these retail bookstores is commonly mistaken for a Starbucks store, but instead only serves their coffee drinks through a licensing agreement.
Because of this, these cafes do not receive or award stars. They operate as independent cafes and have their own coupon and rewards systems.
You can still get your favorite coffee-based beverage while you shop here, but you won't be able to cash in on any rewards.
4. Use a reusable cup
Bringing a clean reusable cup can speed up your Rewards balance.
In the US, Starbucks' Rewards terms say that using a personal cup can earn double Stars on your order at participating stores.
Because participation and eligibility can vary by location, I recommend checking the Starbucks app for your store or asking a barista the first time you try it.
5. Use star codes
Star codes are special codes found on Starbucks products, such as bags of coffee and Keurig cups.
They are added to the packaging as a sticker that you need to peel off after purchasing.
To redeem these points, you must purchase the item associated with the code and then enter the code into your online account or Starbucks mobile app.
After, the star points will automatically be added to your total. You can add up to 2 star codes per day, regardless of whether you have multiple codes from various products.
Additionally, star codes expire after a certain period, so it is best to load them onto your account as soon as possible.
6. Take advantage of Double and Triple Star Days
Double and Triple Star Days are when Starbucks offers two to three times the number of stars you would generally earn per $1.
These days occur at least once a month, and Starbucks usually sends out an announcement through email or on the app regarding the eligible dates.
To earn these extra stars, all you need to do is make sure that you activate the Star Days offer before purchasing.
If you do not activate the offer, you will only earn 1 to 2 stars per $1, which is the typical rate on a regular day.
To activate the offer, open your app and press the button labeled 'Activate Offer'.
Once this is complete, you can order your drink to your liking as you usually would.
7. Look out for days with Bonus Star offers
Similar to the Double and Triple Star days, Starbucks will also designate specific days when certain items will earn a set number of bonus stars.
Sometimes, it may be buying one bakery item for 25 extra stars, a specific drink size, or spending $10 to earn a bonus of 50 stars.
These days are common during the holidays, when Starbucks introduces its seasonal items.
If you purchase a holiday drink (like the famous pumpkin spice latte or one of their many Christmas-themed drinks), you will receive bonus stars on top of what you already earned for the money you spent.
If you want to try a holiday drink this coming season or review some old classics, check out my article on the different types of Starbucks holiday drinks offered.
8. Sign up for email notifications
Signing up for email notifications will help you earn stars in two ways: it will notify you when star days are coming and send you links to unique offers.
When signing up to receive emails, you can be assured that you will know when days to earn extra stars are right around the corner.
You will also receive access to offers or links that will let you earn stars in other ways through small tasks.
These tasks include entering a special star code on the redemption site, playing a game through a link or on the app, or activating an individualized offer that has been sent before making your regular in-store order.
Final thoughts
There are multiple ways to earn stars at Starbucks that you can easily incorporate into your life to make sure you get as many rewards as possible.
Whether buying items for bonus stars, bringing in reusable cups, or ensuring your email notification alerts are up and running, you will be earning more stars to use for future purchases in no time.
2 Comments
You didn't even mention the Delta promotion? You get double stars, anytime you buy Starbucks on the same day that you have a Delta flight. You also get miles on Delta for buying Starbucks. It's a win-win!
Hey Patricia,
That sounds amazing. Thanks for letting me know about this!
– Jeffrey