Starbucks bag of coffee

I Confirmed What May Be Starbucks Rewards’ Best Deal

At the very end of last year, news broke that Starbucks was devaluing its Rewards program. For example, redeeming Stars for a latte would now cost you 200 Stars instead of 150 while redeeming for a bakery item would double from 50 Stars to 100. Naturally, like most, I was immediately disappointed with this change as presented. However, diving deeper, I found a potential sweet spot: whole-bean coffee. Sure enough, with the new program in place, I followed up on this hunch and found some pretty awesome success.

Under the previous Starbucks Rewards terms, with 400 Stars, you could purchase pretty much any retail item priced up to $20. While my wife and I have used this option for things like mugs and tumblers before, we typically went with whole-bean coffee. That’s why I was excited to see that, in addition to keeping the 400 Star tier unchanged, Starbucks actually added whole-bean coffee to the 300 Stars tier.

Starbucks Rewards receipt

Initially, I thought there had to be a catch here. After all, Starbucks does have some pretty pricey roasts at their stores. So, I selected an Ethiopian coffee that was in stock at my local store and decided to see if I could redeem my 300 Stars for it. Well, truth be told, I had already seen in the app that I could, so I was pretty confident when I strolled into the store. However, it wasn’t until after I had successfully redeemed my Stars that I saw the retail price for the bag: $19! This means that, instead of redeeming 200 Stars for a latte that might cost $7 with upgrades, I spent 50% more Stars for something valued at 2.7x more.

Even though this was a big win for me, there are a few things to note. First, should this bag of coffee really cost $19? Probably not — but that’s not really the point. Second, while Starbucks stores do have bags of coffee that are 1 pound, this Starbucks Reserve bag is only 8.8 ounces. Finally, while this trick worked at my local store, the terms do state that redemptions aren’t valid at Starbucks Roastery locations. I guess this means I won’t be using my 300 Stars for a $50 bag of coffee when I’m in Chicago next month. Darn.

To be clear, the recent changes to the Starbucks Rewards program are largely bad — and the pricing at Starbucks seems to be worse every time I visit (which isn’t nearly as often as it used to be). But, if you’re a fan of whole-bean coffee, I honestly think that this 300 Star redemption tier is a super sweet spot for the program. Plus, if you don’t have your own grinder, they’ll grind it up for you. Just something to think about for your next Starbucks Rewards redemption.

Author
Founder ~ Moneyat30
Kyle is a freelance writer - including being the head writer for Fioney.com. He also serves as editorial director for the Disney fan site LaughingPlace.com and the founder of Money@30.com. In 2015, Kyle and his wife Bekah moved from Los Angeles to Springfield MO in pursuit of greater financial freedom. Together, the pair enjoy travel, coffee, and spending time with their dog Rigby. Additionally, as of 2023, they become first-time homeowners.
Other Articles by Kyle Burbank
person standing in front of exploding fireworks
Hey You Kids, Get Off My Lawn!
With last Friday being July 4th, I decided to take a week off from posting. However, I wanted to share a story from that night (or, really, early the next morning). Backing up, last year, we learned that our neighbors loved fireworks. So we were prepared for a few hours of noise and helping our...
Venetian rewards gems
Travel Tuesday: The Venetian Surveying Guests on Possible Rewards Credit Card
Late last year, I had a chance to cross another Las Vegas Strip property off my list with a stay at The Palazzo at The Venetian. Whether because of that or because I opened a players club card with them as well, this week The Venetian sent me a survey regarding a potential rewards credit...
Allbirds 4th of July sale logo
Allbirds is Celebrating Independence Day with a 50% Off Sale
One funny thing about summer is how a sunny day can quickly turn into a heavy downpour. This is even more prominent in certain parts of the country where you may be headed on a summer vacation (I'm looking at you, Florida!). So, given that weather reality, it makes perfect sense that Allbirds would be...

Leave a Reply

Featured Articles
Hey You Kids, Get Off My Lawn!
With last Friday being July 4th, I decided to take a week off from posting. However, I wanted to share a story from that night (or, really, early the next morning). Backing up, last year, we learned that our neighbors loved fireworks. So we were prepared for a few hours of noise and helping our...
Travel Tuesday: The Venetian Surveying Guests on Possible Rewards Credit Card
Late last year, I had a chance to cross another Las Vegas Strip property off my list with a stay at The Palazzo at The Venetian. Whether because of that or because I opened a players club card with them as well, this week The Venetian sent me a survey regarding a potential rewards credit...
Allbirds is Celebrating Independence Day with a 50% Off Sale
One funny thing about summer is how a sunny day can quickly turn into a heavy downpour. This is even more prominent in certain parts of the country where you may be headed on a summer vacation (I'm looking at you, Florida!). So, given that weather reality, it makes perfect sense that Allbirds would be...
An Amex Platinum Card Revamp is Coming — And I'm Worried
Earlier this week, Chase confirmed pretty much every rumor that had been swirling for the past couple of months by announcing details on a major refresh for its uber popular Sapphire Reserve card. When this refresh launches next week (or in October for current cardholders), it will bring new credits, a reimagined rewards-earning system, and...