It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Okay, that’s a bit of a stretch — but it is at least a moderately exciting time. That’s because Starbucks just rolled out its latest Bonus Star Bingo game, enabling the chain’s loyalists to earn free beverages and more.
As I’ve previously written about, I’ve found Bonus Star Bingo to be a decent way to rack up stars without spending a ton. Thankfully, that seems to hold true for my board this year, which feels rather modest compared to some past iterations. On that note, I have noticed that the number of accomplishments required and even the star payout can vary by consumer. For reference, my offer for completing my entire card is 375 stars and all but one of my challenges (“On a Roll,” which means I need to visit three days in a row) has a maximum of two requirements.
Glancing at the Bonus Star Bingo board for the first time, completing eight challenges — many of which require multiple purchases — might seem daunting and expensive. However, if you look a bit closer, you may notice that some of these challenges overlap, allowing you to make progress on two or more at a time. For example, “Order on the Way” just requires you to place your order via the Starbucks app, which can be combined with basically any other challenge. Similarly, you could conceivably accomplish “Great Morning” and “Lunch Break” on a weekend to make progress in “Weekender” and “All Day.” In short, the best strategy is to look for day-specific challenges and merge them with item-specific ones in order to get the most bang for your buck.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this edition of Bonus Star Bingo comes only a few months after Starbucks made some major changes to the rewards program. For one, you no longer need to make a minimum number of purchases before earning free items. Instead, you can begin earning just by enrolling. On top of that, there are now several options for how you can use your stars. This includes the ability to get a cup of drip coffee or bakery items for just 50 stars each or use 400 stars to purchase any retail item up to $20. Personally, I’ve used this option to purchase one-pound bags of coffee from the company, which has served me well so far.
Ultimately, while it’s difficult to fully endorse making a run at this latest Bonus Stars Bingo game, for those who frequent the chain enough anyway, this could be an opportunity to earn some rewards. In turn, by using those stars for whole bean coffee or other free items, you may be able to save a bit of cash in the long run. Of course, if you do want to play, you’ll need to hurry as this edition of Starbucks Bonus Star Bingo ends on October 31st.