Category Archives: Food

Starbucks Gifts Cards and Rewards Program

Odds are good you’ve received a Starbucks gift card at some point in your life. They are easy go-to gifts, while still being appreciated and likely to be used. Everyone loves coffee.

But, if you are like most people, you probably used the card until it was empty and then threw it away. I’m telling you you are literally throwing money away.

Starbucks has a loyalty program, and it is surprisingly easy to join. If you have a Starbucks gift card, simply go to starbucks.com and register it. From then on, it will track your purchases. When it is empty, instead of throwing it away, reload it and reuse it. They make this incredibly easy. You can do it in store at the register, you can do it online, you can even do it from their smartphone apps.

After you register your card, you start to get the benefits of the rewards program. As you use your card, you gain “stars” for each transaction. After 12 stars, you get a free drink. (Hint, you get a star for each swipe, so if you are buying a few drinks and the line is short buy a drink, then go back and buy the second drink! 2 stars instead of 1!)

Further, you get other nice perks like a free drink on your birthday. After 5 stars you get free refills on plain coffee and iced teas. Another tip: even if you get a fancy drink, I’ve never had a barista turn me down when I asked for a plain coffee refill, and when you swipe your reward card, its free.

You only get these perks by building up your stars over a period of time. So, stop throwing away those cards and re use them. And if someone gives you another card as a gift? You can transfer the value of that card to your card. Simply go online to the Starbucks website, log in to your account. Add the new card to your account and transfer the value over.

Starbucks Reusable Cups

Starbucks has unveiled a program where they are selling plastic reusable cups to their customers. Starbucks has always encouraged a greener business model. They would always use any mugs or cups customers bring in on their own to use instead of the traditional paper cup. When customers did this, they would discount the purchase by 10 cents.

When they first launched this program, they had an ambitious goal of 25% of their orders being served in reusable cups. However, they never came close. Now they are re-focusing on a goal of 5% of orders by 2015. In order to do this, the company is trying to boost this by selling a $1 reusable cup in their stores to focus on the program.

I believe this is smart because as much as people want to be green and help waste less, there is also a certain status of being seen with that cup with the visible green mermaid on it. Now customers can do both.

IMG_2769This cup is just a touch thicker than a big gulp 7-11 cup. It does not insulate like a real thermos style travel mug. However, I think that might be the point. These are supposed to be replacements for the traditional paper cup. I like the paper cups because they tend to cool off the very hot coffee in a timely manner after it is served to me. A co-worker who prefers to slowly sip his coffee over an hour or two was not happy with how quickly the heat dissipated. So, your preferences in temperature and drinking manner may affect how you like this cup.

Also, the cup is Grande (medium) size. Those of you who order Ventis (or god help you, Trentas) are out of luck.

Which brings me to my last point. As benevolent as this program sounds, I think the real cause is that I imagine Starbucks spends a TON on paper cups every year. By encouraging customers to reuse cups, they can spend a lot less. Especially when you as a customer are helping to defray this cost up front. However, it is still nice to know you are wasting a little less with your morning coffee.

The mug is $1. However, you get .10c off your order with a reusable cup. They will wash the cup for you if you ask.

 

Pepsi Throwback


pepsi throwback

Originally uploaded by jonarogers

Pepsi releases this once in a while. Pepsi throwback is Pepsi made with sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup.

I think they are making it because of the attention given to healthier options and how much backlash there is against corn syrup lately.

It still have 67gr of sugar in this one bottle however, so unless you think there is something inherently wrong with using chemical to sweeten this isn’t much healthier.

However, it does taste a bit different. It seems a bit less crisp and less syrupy in its sweetness.

I really like the throwback label that reminds me of Pepsi back when I was younger.