Starbucks' new tiered rewards program is drawing in more value-conscious shoppers

Among the new features, the 60-star redemption option has emerged as the runaway favorite, with over one in four redemptions going toward the $2 discount it offers on a purchase.

Point redemptions on the first Mod Monday — when members can add a free drink customization — came in at more than double the figures recorded during the coffee chain's Starbucks Monday promotion earlier this year. Data on popular choices showed green- and gold-tier members gravitating toward vanilla sweet cream cold foam, while reserve-tier members tended to reach for an extra espresso shot.

Since the overhaul launched, the number of members bringing their own cups to collect double stars has climbed by a double-digit percentage, with the total reaching into the hundreds of thousands.

The redesigned program, which rolled out last month, sorts members into three tiers according to stars earned the previous year: Green for those with fewer than 500, Gold for those between 500 and 2,499, and Reserve for anyone at 2,500 or above, per Newsweek. The updated structure brought several other adjustments, including a new discount redemption at 60 stars, a bonus for customers who bring reusable cups, a longer birthday reward window — and a lower star-earning rate for purchases made through preloaded Starbucks gift cards.

Not everyone welcomed the changes. Complaints surfaced quickly across social media platforms, with veteran members expressing frustration that earning meaningful rewards now requires more effort. One Reddit $RDDT user's grievance, flagged by Newsweek, cut to the heart of the sentiment: "Customers just want to earn a free drink every once in a while." The monthly frequency of Mod Monday also drew gripes from users who felt a single qualifying day per month fell short.

Even so, plenty of members appear to be finding workarounds to maximize their star hauls — topping up their account balances, for instance, as a straightforward path to collecting bonus points.

The rewards program sits at the core of Starbucks' financial model: spending tied to loyalty members made up 60% of the chain's total revenue in fiscal 2025. Investors and program watchers will likely get a fuller picture of how the revamp is performing when Starbucks holds its fiscal second-quarter earnings call.