On Feb. 22 Starbucks announced changes to its loyalty rewards program beginning in April.
According to the new program for every $1 spent, pa- trons will earn two stars.
It will now take 300 stars to reach the “gold level” and to receive a free reward you will need 125 stars.
Compared to old program where patrons earned a star for each transaction no matter the amount of money spent. It only took 30 stars to reach the gold level and 12 stars to get a free reward.
The announcement caused a Twitter and Facebook frenzy because loyal customers were angry by the new changes of the program.
“Great now I have to spend more money just to get a free reward,” said Starbucks customer Lavina Boulom.
The company responded to the negative feedback by saying the new changes to the loyalty program were made due to the demand of customers.
Starbucks said it will have monthly events for customers to earn stars faster so rewards are earned sooner.
“They’re making things a lot better because now we can get more stars in one transaction compare to before where you only you got one star per transaction,” said long-time loyal customer Beaney Guizar, as she was picking up her
morning coffee at her local Starbucks in Tracy.
Not everyone was angry about the new changes be- cause the program mainly affects the lower spending customers.
“[I’m] a little disappointed with the new changes, but I’m still staying with Starbucks,” said I’la Wylie, another loyal Starbucks customer.
On the old program customers could spend $2 dollars on a cup of coffee and after 12 visits and spending 24 dollars they could get a free item. Now customers will have to spend about $62 dollars just to get a free item and it will take them
around 31 visits.
“It sucks. I feel like I’m being robbed from my money,” said Matt Penman.