
Starbucks announces shock change to its rewards program — here's how to score free drinks
Starbucks announced a major change to its reward system.
The coffee giant is making it a little harder to rack up Stars this summer, meaning it may take longer for rewards members to gain enough for a free drink.
Starting June 24, the points received for using your own to-go reusable cup are changing, according to an email sent to rewards members.
Starbucks is making a change to its rewards system.
ManuPadilla – stock.adobe.com
Instead of receiving 25 Bonus Stars for every order placed with your own cup, you'll now receive 'double Stars' for the entire order.
'If you bring in two reusable cups and order two handcrafted beverages in a single order, you will receive double Stars on the entire transaction,' the new Starbucks Rewards Terms of Use reads, per AllRecipes.
While it might sound like more — and it might be for some customers — you now have to spend a minimum of $12.50 during your visit to get the 25 stars, as opposed to automatically getting them under the current system.
Currently, everyone receives 25 stars regardless of how much they order or how many personal cups are used.
The points received for using your own to-go reusable cup at Starbucks are changing.
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images
The update benefits customers who tend to spend more money at Starbucks, as well as customers who bring in more than one reusable cup for their order.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
What The June 28 European Accessibility Act Deadline Means For Brands
This photograph taken on March 19, 2025 shows European flags outside the EU headquarters in ... More Brussels. (Photo by Nicolas TUCAT / AFP) (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images) In less than a week from now, on June 28, 2025, the requirements of the European Accessibility Act come into force. The intention behind the EAA is to provide fair and equitable access to digital products to the more than 100 million consumers with disabilities living across the European Union. One of the key things to keep in mind about the EEA is that it doesn't just affect European companies. It applies to any organization from around the world selling into the EU market. It goes beyond standard web accessibility and e-commerce, incorporating areas such as computers and operating systems, smartphones, digital TV services, ATMS, ticketing machines and other digital kiosks within its remit. The legislation requires companies to do more than simply make digital products and content accessible. Instead, it seeks to embed accessibility commitments and best practices at a more fundamental organizational level through requirements like official accessibility statements and providing specialized training to staff. Non-compliance with the EAA can lead to fines and ultimately the termination of EU market access. The proximity of the deadline may for some be a cause for panic but cutting through the noise, here are what some digital accessibility specialists are urging organizations to keep in mind with less than a week to go: It's still not too late to get started 'It's not too late to start addressing accessibility. Starting now is better than not doing anything about EAA compliance,' says Jon Avila, Chief Accessibility Officer at Level Access, one of the leading providers of digital accessibility services in the United States. Avila continues, 'For organizations just getting started, the most important steps to take now to mitigate risk are demonstrating that you're taking action to make sustained progress, and beginning to put processes in place aligned with EAA requirements. One of the biggest gaps we observe is third-party content. Companies often assume that embedded tools or plugins are outside their responsibility, but under the EAA, they're very much in scope. We recommend that organizations make accessibility a requirement during the procurement process and request documented proof of accessibility (e.g., a completed VPAT report) from vendors prior to making a purchase.' Eric Portis, a Developer Evangelist at Cloudinary, a software company that helps organizations manage their visual content online, also agrees that it's still not too late to get started with EAA compliance. 'The best time to consider the accessibility of a project was before you shipped it, but the second-best time is today. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are just a big checklist. And while checking every item off the list before June is not a realistic goal for many teams, everyone can start tackling an item or two and begin building momentum towards full compliance. All progress is good progress,' Portis says. The AI landscape has changed Back in 2020, when AI website accessibility overlay widgets hit the market, they were met with a degree of skepticism. That's because the marketing claims were bold – buy a software subscription and let AI do its magic in both spotting and fixing accessibility fails, saving you time and money. It quickly became widely accepted that the technology was, in fact, nowhere near ready to entirely replace human oversight for accessibility remediation. Fast forward five years, and the same remains true but the technology has undoubtedly gotten a lot better meaning that, though AI won't solve all digital accessibility issues, it can now do a lot more of the heavy lifting which genuinely allows teams to focus more precisely on the more nuanced human elements related to user experience. What this ultimately means for the market was recently brought into sharp relief in a report authored by AAAnow, leading digital compliance benchmarking specialists based in London. AAAnow's report looked at the websites of organizations comprising The Valuable 500, a collective of some of the most profitable companies on the planet with long-standing pledges to accessibility and inclusion, including the likes of Apple, Google and BP. According to the V500 scorecard, the average member organization manages around 178 websites, each comprising around 211 pages. To remediate accessibility on the average of 85% of pages where it is required would take 3,480 workdays, or 13 full-time staff working for a year (per org). In terms of cost, this equates to $767,000 per company just for initial compliance, let alone maintenance. Scaled across the full Valuable 500, that's over $380 million and 9 years of full-time work at current capacity. 'We argue that only a risk-managed, AI-powered approach can address the scale, cost, and operational complexity. It's not a 'nice-to-have' - it's fundamental,' commented AAAnow CEO Lawrence Shaw in an earlier interview. Regulation is not something to fear Instinctively, when any type of new regulation comes into force, particularly one that potentially involves fines and other punitive measures, fear and trepidation tend to be the most common reactions off the bat. Yet, it can be argued that brands should welcome the new regulations from the EU as they provide clarity and a roadmap into areas of technical compliance that have previously been murky. In a recent company press release, Amit Borsok, CEO of Italy-based Accessiway, which takes an end-to-end approach to accessibility remediation involving both automation and human testers, said, 'European regulations have shifted the narrative around accessibility from a compliance issue to a strategic investment. Until now, regulatory fragmentation across member states has prevented companies from fully capitalizing on this potential, increasing compliance costs and limiting competitiveness. 'Now, instead of being a hurdle, the new framework provides clarity that encourages companies to invest in accessible technologies and services to expand their market reach. For many organizations, accessibility has evolved from a nice-to-have to a competitive necessity. With regulation now offering predictability and standardization, uncertainty is reduced for investors, and new opportunities for innovation are unlocked.' Though the word deadline usually implies finality, whether, as an organization, you are right at the start of your digital accessibility journey and anxiously playing catch-up, or significantly further down the line, June 28 will surely be the opening of a new chapter for all involved. The story about to unfold will be one of whether human intention layered onto ever more advanced technology can ultimately help make access to the digital realm an equitable experience for everyone.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
South Korea counts on shipbuilding to ease US tariff woes
Asia's fourth largest economy South Korea is facing gruelling tariffs by US President Donald Trump, but its shipbuilding industry could prove a useful bargaining chip. Already hit by sector levies on steel and car exports, Seoul is laser-focused on negotiations over a 25 percent country-specific tariff that has been suspended until July 8. AFP takes a look at what's going on: - Why shipbuilding? - In the 1970s, South Korea's military leader president Park Chung-hee accelerated the country's heavy industry, designating sectors such as steel and shipbuilding "strategically important" and rolling out state subsidies. At the same time, POSCO was founded -- now one of the world's largest steel producers -- and conglomerate Hyundai built its shipyard in southeastern Ulsan, which started to grow rapidly. European rivals struggled to keep pace. Sweden's Kockums Shipyard filed for bankruptcy in 1987 -- and in a symbolic shift of global shipbuilding power, Hyundai acquired its 140-metre (460-foot) Goliath crane for one dollar. It now towers over southern Ulsan. In the 1990s and 2000s, South Korean shipbuilders such as Hyundai Heavy Industries and Samsung Heavy Industries ramped up investment in research and development, backed by generous government subsidies. The country secured a competitive edge in high-value-added vessels, including LNG carriers, very large crude carriers, and offshore platforms. Now, South Korea ranks as the world's second-largest shipbuilding nation, trailing only behind China. - Is it important? - South Korea's exports hit a record high in 2024, with analysts pointing to shipbuilding as one of the key drivers. The sector accounted for nearly four percent of total exports and grew by almost 20 percent from the previous year -- reaching $25.6 billion. Shipbuilding directly employs around 120,000 workers -- roughly one percent of the country's total workforce -- with indirect employment significantly higher in industrial hubs like Ulsan. Industry data shows so far this year, new orders have exceeded 13 trillion won ($9.4 billion). In March, Hanwha Ocean secured a landmark $1.6 billion contract to build LNG carriers for Taiwan's Evergreen Marine, one of the largest single orders in the sector this year. - Why is it a 'bargaining chip'? - Trump has showed "significant interest in South Korea-US shipbuilding cooperation," said South Korea's trade, industry and energy minister Ahn Duk-geun in April. Like the Europeans, the US shipbuilding industry has lagged behind South Korea and China, and as a result, the sector is seen as a "highly important bargaining chip in trade negotiations," he added. At an APEC finance ministers' meeting in South Korea in May, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met Chung Ki-sun, vice chairman of HD Hyundai, the country's largest shipbuilder, before he met Seoul's top officials. "South Korea's shipbuilding and defence industries see a window of opportunity," said Kim Dae-jong, a professor at Sejong University. - How does it help the US? - Greer also met with the CEO of Hanwha Ocean, the first non-American company authorised to carry out a dry-dock maintenance of a US Navy vessel. The move last September was seen as significant as it signalled that Washington sees South Korea, where it already has 28,000 US troops stationed, as a strategic defence hub. With worries growing about China's expanding naval fleet and potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait, the US has begun seeking reliable overseas shipyards to support its operations in the Asia-Pacific region. The global market for ship maintenance, repair, and overhaul is projected to exceed $60 billion annually, according to industry estimates. - Any problems? - Despite multi-billion-dollar contracts, data suggests South Korea's shipbuilding industry is losing ground in the global race. China dominates with South Korea's market share dropping, according to industry data. Demand for eco-friendly vessels is rising, and the government need to overhaul regulations "to support the development of next-generation eco-friendly vessels," Rhee Shin-hyung, a professor at Seoul National University, told AFP. South Korea's woeful demographics also make staffing hard. In Geoje -– home to Samsung Heavy Industries -– the number of residents in their 20s and 30s has nearly halved in recent years. Orders are down in 2025 which hints that "the shipbuilding boom may end sooner than the market anticipated," warned Rhee. Global ship orders between January and April fell by almost half the volume recorded during the same period last year. Shipbuilders have been enjoying a "supercycle" but unfortunately the "peak is expected to be lower and the boom shorter-lived compared to the past," Nam Chul, vice president at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, told AFP. hs/ceb/ecl
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
'Survive, nothing more': Cuba's elderly live hand to mouth
With a monthly pension barely sufficient to buy 15 eggs or a small bag of rice, Cuba's elderly struggle to make ends meet in one of Latin America's poorest and fastest-aging countries. As the communist island battles its deepest economic crisis in three decades, the state is finding it increasingly hard to care for some 2.4 million inhabitants -- more than a quarter of the population -- aged 60 and over. Sixty is the age at which women -- for men it's 65 -- qualify for the state pension which starts at 1,528 Cuban pesos per month. This is less than $13 at the official exchange rate and a mere $4 on the informal street market where most Cubans do their shopping. "Fight for life, for death is certain," vendor Isidro Manuet, 73, told AFP sitting on a sidewalk in the heart of Havana, his skin battered by years in the sun, several of his front teeth missing. "I manage to live, survive, nothing more," he said of his meager income that allows him to buy a little food, and not much else. As he spoke to AFP, Manuet looked on as small groups of people walked by his stall carrying bags full of food. They were coming out of Casalinda, one of several part government-run megastores that sells goods exclusively to holders of US dollars -- a small minority of Cubans. Most rely instead on informal stalls such as the ones Manuet and other elderly Cubans set up on sidewalks every morning to sell fruit, coffee, cigarettes, candy, used clothes and other second-hand goods. - 'Things are bad' - Near Manuet's stall, 70-year-old Antonia Diez sells clothing and makeup. "Things are bad, really bad," she sighs, shaking her head. Many of Cuba's elderly have been without family support since 2022, when the biggest migratory exodus in the country's history began amid a crisis marked by food, fuel and medicine shortages, power blackouts and rampant inflation. More beggars can be seen on Havana's streets -- though there are no official figures -- and every now and then an elderly person can be spotted rummaging through garbage bins for something to eat, or sell. The Cuban crisis, which Havana blames on decades of US sanctions but analysts say was fueled by government economic mismanagement and tourism tanking under the Covid-19 pandemic, has affected the public purse too, with cuts in welfare spending. As a result, the government has struggled to buy enough of the staples it has made available for decades to impoverished Cubans at heavily subsidized prices under the "libreta" ration book system. It is the only way many people have to access affordable staples such as rice, sugar and beans -- when there is any. Diez said she used to receive an occasional state-sponsored food package, "but it's been a while since they've sent anything." - 'No future' - This all means that many products can only be found at "dollar stores" such as Casalinda, or private markets where most people cannot afford to shop. According to the University of Havana's Center for Cuban Economic Studies, in 2023 a Cuban family of three would have needed 12 to 14 times the average minimum monthly salary of 2,100 pesos (around $17) to meet their basic food needs. Official figures show about 68,000 Cubans over 60 rely on soup kitchens run by the state Family Assistance System for one warm meal per day. At one such facility, "Las Margaritas," a plate of food costs about 13 pesos (11 dollar cents). Pensioner Eva Suarez, 78, has been going there daily for 18 months. "The country is in such need. There's no food, there's nothing," she told AFP, adding her pension is basically worthless "because everything is so expensive." Inflation rose by 190 percent between 2018 and 2023, but pensions have not kept pace. Some are losing faith in communism, brought to the island by Fidel Castro's revolution, and its unfulfilled promises such as a liter of subsidized milk for every child under seven per day. "I have nothing, my house is falling apart," said Lucy Perez, a 72-year-old economist who retired with 1,600 pesos (about 13 dollars) a month after a 36-year career. "The situation is dire. The nation has no future." It's not just the elderly suffering. Cuba was rocked by unprecedented anti-government protests in 2021, and students have been rebelling in recent months due to a steep hike in the cost of mobile internet -- which only arrived on the island seven years ago. In January, the government announced a partial dollarization of the economy that has angered many unable to lay their hands on greenbacks. rd-jb/lp/mlr/sms/ksb