Inflation has hit Starbucks’ loyalty program.
Starting today, the Seattle-based coffee chain is making it more difficult for customers to redeem their rewards points, or stars, for free coffee drinks, pastries, breakfast and lunch items.
New redemption levels in some cases require double the number of points.
For example:
— Customers used to be able to redeem 50 stars for a brewed hot coffee or tea, bakery item or packaged snack. Those items now require 100 stars.
— No longer can 150 stars be redeemed for a free hand-crafted drink (latte, mocha, cold brew, etc.) or hot breakfast item (breakfast sandwiches, egg bites). Those now require 200 stars.
— Sandwiches