Nowadays, there’s an app for everything. While we may not need to keep an app for a grocery store we visit once a year on vacation, we find that the Starbucks app is definitely worth saving space for on our phones. As long as you spend at least $1 per year and enter your birthdate into the app, you will qualify for a free drink or food item on your birthday every year! Of course, we’re pretty confident a grande latte isn’t an annual splurge, so we’ll talk some more about what else your app can do for you in between blowing out candles.
How to Score a Free Birthday Drink from Starbucks
To qualify for a free birthday drink or beverage, you must:
- Sign up for a Starbucks Rewards account at least 7 days prior to your birthday
- Provide your date of birth
- Earn at least 1 star in the past year
As long as you have a Starbucks Rewards account, you can show the barista that you have a free drink in the app, and you should be set. If you don’t have the app, you’ll need to pay using the Starbucks gift card that’s connected to your account or pay on the app through a debit or credit card that you’ve previously added.
What Qualifies For My Free Drink or Food Item? Are There Restrictions?
If you’re not in the mood for coffee, you can also use your free item on a pastry or sandwich. Ready-to-drink beverages apply as well, as long as they’re nonalcoholic.
While you can use your reward for any drink of any size, you’re on a deadline. You can only use your Starbucks Birthday Reward on your birthday, so if midnight strikes, that’s all until next year. Of course, you can score points in between to earn free drinks any day.
How to Earn More Points at Starbucks for Additional Free Items
When you pay at Starbucks, you can pay with a credit or debit card, through a gift card, or directly on the app. If you choose to pay with a debit or credit card, the only way to earn points is by scanning the app at the time of purchase or adding a card to your Starbucks account. You can even pay for your coffee in the app as long as you link a form of payment.
For every $1 you spend, you earn 1 point in the app. If you pay with a prepaid gift card, you earn points twice as fast, since every $2 earns you 2 stars.
Paying through a Starbucks gift card is the most efficient way to earn points quickly. You’ll need to link that card to your account in order for your purchases to earn you stars. We recommend treating your Starbucks card like a prepaid Visa for your coffee. You’ll earn points faster since you can earn 2 stars for every $1 spent. Plus, it helps you keep tabs on how much money you’re spending on coffee.
At different times, Starbucks also gives you extra ways to earn points, such as through playing games in their app and through Double Star Day.
Conclusion
You can use your Starbucks Birthday Reward on one beverage, food, or ready-to-drink item. As long as you qualify, you’re set to enjoy anything you choose for one day only. If you keep the app for the rest of the year, or use a Starbucks gift card as payment, you can continue to earn points for more free drinks and make sure you still qualify when your next birthday comes around.
Featured Image Credit: Omar Lopez, Unsplash
