Starbucks will change the number of Star Rewards required for free drinks in February

The number of “stars” that Starbucks customers in the U.S. and Canada need to earn certain food and drinks for free through the company’s rewards program is expected to increase in February.

When Starbucks Rewards members spend money with the coffee shop chain, they can earn stars, including two stars for every $1 with a Starbucks card and one for every $1 with a credit or debit card. They can give those stars rewards like free drinks and merchandise depending on their number.

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The update to the Starbucks Rewards program, detailed on the company’s website, involves increasing the number of “stars” needed to redeem items at three levels. Starbucks is also changing the tiers at which certain food, beverages and other items can be purchased.

The changes, first reported by Insider on Tuesday, take effect on February 13. Rewards members in the US and Canada have been notified of the impending changes, according to Starbucks.

As per the February changes, customers must earn 100 stars to receive:

• Hot brewed coffee
• Hot baked tea
• Cold brewed coffee
• Cold brewed tea
• Bakery product
• Packaged snack
• One 24oz Cold Shrimp Logo Plastic To-Go Cup
• One 16oz Siren Logo Plastic Hot Cup

For hot brewed coffee, hot steeped tea and baked goods, this will mean an increase of 50 stars from the 50 currently required to redeem them. Meanwhile, the number of stars to get a free iced coffee, iced tea and snack pack is reduced by 50 stars.

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To-go cups are also new to the range.

The following products can be redeemed for 200 stars:

• Handmade drink
• A hot breakfast item

Customers can currently purchase handcrafted beverages such as lattes or hot breakfast items such as oatmeal for 150 stars.

Here’s what customers can get with 300 stars in February.

• Wrapped salad or lunch sandwich
• Packaged Protein Box
• Packaged coffee item

Packaged foods that would be 300 stars can currently be redeemed for 200 stars. Packaged coffee, however, dropped a notch from 400 stars.

The lowest and highest reward levels will not change their point requirements, remaining at 25 and 400 stars respectively.

With a 25-star level, customers can purchase a drink modifier, such as extra espresso or syrup. They’ll also be able to get “up to $20 worth of select Starbucks merchandise” by redeeming 400 stars in February.

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Other aspects of the Starbucks rewards program, such as the free birthday gift and reusable cup benefit and how members can earn Star Points, also remain the same, according to Starbucks.

In early November, Starbucks reported that its total active Starbucks Rewards members in the US for the fourth quarter were 28.7 million, a 16% increase over the same period last year.

Ladies	Security	Last:	Change	change %
SBUX:	STARBUCKS CORP.	99.77	+1.17:	+1.19%

It also said at the time that fourth-quarter revenue was $8.414 billion, compared with $8.147 billion in the year-ago fourth quarter. Quarterly net profit fell to $878.3 million from $1.764 billion.