Starbucks puts $5 "gift" on all registered cards

Registered Starbucks cardholders received a postcard in recent days telling them: "Because you're a loyal registered Starbucks Card holder, we're giving you a little gift: $5 loaded onto your Starbucks Card by August 23, 2006." A Starbucks Gossip reader writes: "I have more than one Starbucks Card and they also deposited $5 on each of them as well. Sadly, I misplaced one of the cards." Of course, one of the registered-card benefits is getting it replaced if it's lost or stolen. If you take advantage of that, you'll get a new card with a balance that will probably include the "gift." UPDATE: A reader says $15 has been added to cards that are auto-reloaded.

Comments

[GimmeStarbucks]

If you use auto-reload feature you got $15 instead of $5. It was a nice treat.

[jmatt1122]

Does this get added automatically, or do you need to recieve the postcard? Is it in the U.S. only, or Canada too? Why don't I have it??

[Jackie Huba]

My postcard says $15 will be added on my Starbucks card.

[Becca]

I'm in Canada, and don't autoreload my card, and I got $10 on the 26th.

[Staci Kramer]

My card says $10 "to treat yourself to that indulgent beverage you've always wanted to try, our latest musical offering or anything else you enjoy at Starbucks." It was added automatically by Aug. 23 -- I wondered why my balance was so high when I used the card Sunday.

[Hirayuki]

I'm one of those who got $10. I don't automatically reload, but I do burn through (and replenish) my card balance pretty quickly.

[deeni]

$15 on my autoreload card!

[Cookie]

Nothing Here

[leki]

$10 showed up on mine. 'Twas a nice surprise.

[Theolaxor]

ya wheres mine
maybe it doesnt count if its a partner card?

[raspberry_mocha]

I got $10 on one of mine, unfortunately it was the one I gave my sister. Miserly little snot better at least buy me a drink.

[Rae]

Three registered cards here, and nary a dollar added.

Interesting.

[416barista]

Theolaxor,

I'm with you. Nothing showed up on my partner card either......grrrr!!!

[jasc]

I have two registered cards. One auto-reloads, has a balance, and was credited $15. The other card does not auto-reload, has a zero balance, and was not credited any dollars.

[java_bucks]

Yes, I got my five on my card. It looks like a nice dividend for investing time in registering and refilling your card. One can listen to the glee of all cardholders throughout America:

"I've got five, time to revive."

"I've got ten, thanks for being a friend."

"I've got fifteen, where have I been? Starbucks!"

[jpmist]

I got my post card yesterday informing me of my $15 bonus and was so surprised. I've been on auto-reload for about $75/month for most of the year so it's nice to see that Starbucks appreciates that.

[Lou Sussler]

The $15 was a pleasant suprise. Now I'll have to stop bitching about never getting anything for free at Starbucks.

[Becca]

My partner card didn't get anything, just my old normal starbucks card, which I only use when I forget my partner card. Apparantly frequency of use didn't matter.

[mochatina]

i, too, have three cards registered and only received $5 on one of the cards... no auto-reload on any of them and no postcard received. seems pretty random to me...

[lakevilleMN]

I got the $15 added to my card, which IS a parnter card set up for auto-reload>>

Thanks Much!!

[djchuang]

I got a postcard notifying me about the $5 gift, but it was applied to an old card (I guess I'm such the heavy user that I wear out the Starbucks card pretty quick). I called Starbucks customer service, was on hold for almost 15 minutes, but once I finally got a live representative, they were courteous and applied the $5 gift to my current card!

(I also happen to notice the other day whole online at a sbux tmobile hotspot that my morning purchase showed up in my card history within minutes!)

[Sm]

Oh hooray. Where did this extra money come from? From the Costa Rica trip they CANCELLED for Store Managers to "make sure that our store level partners are compensated fairly?" Or was it to give the shareholders a cheap thrill.

[Scorpio370]

I don't think it had anything to do with a cancelled trip. That money is going towards raises for the partners. From reading the above posts, it looks as though it's for people who auto-reload. Anyone getting it that does not auto-reload?

[Kathy]

I auto-reload, and got $15, and a post-card.

Nice surprise, especially since I'm now a starving student, and Starbucks constitutes my only "vice" now.

[MS]

This is really annoying -- I have 3 cards registered and didn't get any postcard, nor did I get any money on any of my cards.

[Hirayuki]

Like I said, I do not auto-reload, and I got $10 and a postcard. The $10 bought me one of their lovely Pike Place commemorative mugs.

[Fred Kiesche]

I have two cards, do not auto-reload and got nothing. Ah well.

[Supra]

Yeah, the hold time you got, was because of all the other people who threw away or lost the card Sbux loaded. And for everyone whining... do you even have the cards registered that you are using? It's a good idea. No, the money didn't come from Sbux cancelling anything, they do this once or twice a year to suprise and delight their loyal customers. Geez...

[Christy]

My postcard said the $5 I got was because i registered my card recently.

?

[Angie]

nothing added to mine :(

[Medieval Medic]

I didn't get squat loaded to my card, and I've had it registered longer than my wife's was... She got $5 on one of her 3 registered cards.

[Borg]

Nice gift from SB. Comment to " The $15 was a pleasant suprise. Now I'll have to stop bitching about never getting anything for free at Starbucks.

Posted by: Lou Sussler | Aug 30, 2006 6:36:54 AM "

UMM... Lou S... not sure how much you go into SB, but almost every time I visit there are free samples, and various kid's art posted, and in Seattle here SB gave our local park $15,000...plus you may not have heard about the bigger donation ( 1/2 million Bucks and countless hours employee and community (me and whole families). So please make a note that Starbucks does give a lot for free. Thanks SB, BT

[Joe]

I just got one here in the UK and got one coffee for $14! What a bargain! I decided to describe how this happened and see what Starbucks would do about it and wrote about it on my blog
Starbucks Card has my money for a snack

[starbuckscard]

Well, here I am in Canada....THREE cards REGISTERED, and not a single additional $ was added to any of the accounts........ :( so sad....