Starbucks

[osopecoso]

Heading over to the park in a little bit. Just curious, on my Starbucks app I have about 8 free drink/food rewards. Do they accept these rewards in the parks. From what I understand you can use your app to pay.

 

[LucyBC80]

Heading over to the park in a little bit. Just curious, on my Starbucks app I have about 8 free drink/food rewards. Do they accept these rewards in the parks. From what I understand you can use your app to pay.

You cannot redeem rewards at WDW except at one of the locations at Disney Springs. You do get rewards points though, so paying with your card is still a good option.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Heading over to the park in a little bit. Just curious, on my Starbucks app I have about 8 free drink/food rewards. Do they accept these rewards in the parks. From what I understand you can use your app to pay.

You can use your app to pay. You'll also receive Stars for your purchase, but, you can't redeem rewards in the parks.

You can redeem at the Starbucks in DS Westside.

 

[osopecoso]

You can use your app to pay. You'll also receive Stars for your purchase, but, you can't redeem rewards in the parks.

You can redeem at the Starbucks in DS Westside.

I don't understand why they can't. There is nothing difficult in redeeming those rewards. Just scan and go. It's just like paying.

 

[osopecoso]

Just looked it up. It doesn't make sense to me. They accept Starbucks gift cards but not rewards.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Just looked it up. It doesn't make sense to me. They accept Starbucks gift cards but not rewards.

It has something to do with stand-alone stores versus "not their own" store.

Whenever I purchase a drink at Starbucks in Target, I receive Stars but my purchase doesn't apply to any Gold Card bonus reward I've activated. This then causes me not to purchase at an "in store" Starbucks.

 

[osopecoso]

It has something to do with stand-alone stores versus "not their own" store.

Whenever I purchase a drink at Starbucks in Target, I receive Stars but my purchase doesn't apply to any Gold Card bonus reward I've activated. This then causes me not to purchase at an "in store" Starbucks.

Ah I see. So the Starbucks in Disney is not an actual Starbucks. Is it managed by Starbucks or Disney employees?

 

[hiroMYhero]

Ah I see. So the Starbucks in Disney is not an actual Starbucks. Is it managed by Starbucks or Disney employees?

CMs were trained by Starbucks to run the in park stores.

 

[georgina]

While looking at my account charges, an order from the Main Street Bakery Starbucks at 7:59 AM shows as an order in a Starbucks in Lakewood, Washington at 4:59 AM, which I thought was odd. A charge in a Universal Studios Starbucks just said Starbucks with no location listed, while the Cabana Bay ones listed the correct resort address.

 

[scrapquitler]

Heading over to the park in a little bit. Just curious, on my Starbucks app I have about 8 free drink/food rewards. Do they accept these rewards in the parks. From what I understand you can use your app to pay.

you can pay with the app, you can earn stars, you can not redeem free drinks.

 

[hiddenMeekey]

I can't find anything online explaining the "why".

I wonder if anyone has contacted Starbucks to inquire further? Just like Disney they are insanely customer focused and thrive on feedback and innovation from customer.

 

[osopecoso]

I can't find anything online explaining the "why".

I wonder if anyone has contacted Starbucks to inquire further? Just like Disney they are insanely customer focused and thrive on feedback and innovation from customer.

I agree. I asked the CM on Saturday why this is. He informed me the software cannot handle the free drinks through Starbucks. 2 people behind me in line also had free drinks coming to them and walked out when they heard me ask.

 

[hiddenMeekey]

The following message has been sent to both Disney and Starbucks...will follow up when/if responses are received.

[Starbucks Version]
Hello!
Looking for some information and to provide a little feedback on what is a pain point for some Starbucks customers and app users (me included). Currently Starbucks has locations within DisneyParks in Orlando. While the app is great in allowing you to pay and order on property, if you have free rewards, customers are unable to use those points towards purchases. Can someone from either Starbucks or Disney provide the reasoning for why this decision has been made? With both companies being so customer-centric, I'd encourage innovators from each to sit down and see if a quick change can be made on what on the surface seems like a high impact, low effort fix for your customers. Thank you for taking the time to review and respond. Will also be inquiring on this with Disney.

 

[erionm]

I can't find anything online explaining the "why".

I wonder if anyone has contacted Starbucks to inquire further? Just like Disney they are insanely customer focused and thrive on feedback and innovation from customer.

The Theme Park Starbucks are owned & operated by Disney. Disney either doesn't want to redeem rewards or they can't due to software or some other limitation.

The Disney Springs Starbucks are owned & operated by Starbucks. In addition to being able to redeem rewards at the DS locations, they also offer mobile ordering.

 

[cgattis]

I can't find anything online explaining the "why".

I wonder if anyone has contacted Starbucks to inquire further? Just like Disney they are insanely customer focused and thrive on feedback and innovation from customer.

Really? I've been a Starbucks customer since 1996 and I've never once received a survey or been asked for feedback of any kind.

 

[hiddenMeekey]

Really? I've been a Starbucks customer since 1996 and I've never once received a survey or been asked for feedback of any kind.

Starbucks and Disney operate within the same "Lean" management strategy with a customer centric focus. Starbucks isn't big on unsolicited surveys, they still exist and they offer rewards when you take them, but you have to be a rewards member and have recently used your rewards card or the app to get them.

 

[FlyingBelle]

While you can't use your star rewards... you CAN use a snack credit on the dining plan for Starbucks drinks - and you can order whatever you want (or at least they did when we were there last). The cast members were even asking if we wanted to upsize our drinks and add extra shots of coffee!

 

[ShadeDK]

The Theme Park Starbucks are owned & operated by Disney. Disney either doesn't want to redeem rewards or they can't due to software or some other limitation.

The Disney Springs Starbucks are owned & operated by Starbucks. In addition to being able to redeem rewards at the DS locations, they also offer mobile ordering.

This. You can use the Starbucks app and earn stars at most any Starbucks location; however, only "owned and operated" Starbucks locations and participating stores allow you to redeem stars under the rewards programs. This is not just a Disney thing. Many of the Starbucks located in hotels, office buildings, airports, grocery stores and shopping malls may be owned by those facilities and do not accept rewards. I've had this happen numerous times at different locations - to the point of not bothering to collect stars.

 

[BuzzLiteyear]

I think the answer lies in a pretty common business quote: "Offer valid at participating locations". It seems as though some of the WDW locations are Starbucks in name only; selling Starbucks products but in a Disney-owned location. I've been to a number of multiple-location businesses over the years that didn't accept a nationwide promotion.