LEAKED Details of New Starbucks Credit Card

by Gary Leff

There’s a Vimeo video up about the new Starbucks credit card. (HT: Paul in the comments at Doctor of Credit)

Key details:

  • Immediate Gold status. That really just means you’re eligible to earn credit towards free drinks.
  • Up to 3 stars per $1 spent at Starbucks
  • 1 star per $4 spent elsewhere
  • 8 “Barista Picks” for cardmembers that sounds like exclusive drink items

Since it takes 125 ‘stars’ to earn a free drink or menu item, you need $500 spent on the card per free drink or food credit. At even $5 per drink that’s at best a 1% rebate at Starbucks.

Starbucks spend seems more lucrative, potentially a free item for every ~ $41 spent depending on what ‘up to’ means in this context.

When the original Starbucks Visa was introduced 14 years ago it gave you an actual 1% rebate at Starbucks. The Starbucks Duetto Visa was sunset in 2010. I had hoped the new iteration of the product would be more lucrative.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. Terrible card. Perks are very weak.

    Heck some cards that allow using points to purchase Starbucks gift card probably have better rate of return.

  2. I agree. The key demos are sbux aficionados and idiots. I used to be one (well both): I collected a few themed cards, tried every drink on the menu, even got the first metal card with a $450 price tag.

    But I cut ties after they devalued. And all the promos nowadays suck. The most recent was buy 3 packages for a measly 50 stars! I still have $200 on my card but I’m in no hurry to spend it.

  4. tip — this offer to upgrade to united silver seems available to anyone. i received via directmail
    united.com/status2018

  7. Cant you get a food item with the reward? Might make sense in that case… Or if you enjoy ventis

  11. I think there’s a bit of misunderstanding about the true purpose of this card: it’s not a primary household-spend card or aspirational upgrade vehicle, it’s a retailer-specific rewards card made to guarantee repeat business.

    Yes, it’s for “sbux aficionados and idiots” but it’ll be mighty useful for them.

    Given the accrual rate for existing SBUX Rewards members is 2 stars/$1 spent, I’ll be signing up the moment this CC makes it to Canada. Of course I won’t be using the card outside of SBUX, the accrual rate stinks for outside spend.

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