Serious Eats
Is the New Starbucks Gold Card Worth It?
Stabuckoholics can now buy a Gold Card for $25. They advertise a bunch of vague perks ("exclusive offers and discounts"), but as Cruftbox points out, the main one is 10% off most purchases. That means if you spend $250 a year on Starbucks, you'll break even.
Let's consider the two types of Stabuckoholics. Those who buy the prole drip coffee, and those who fork over for fancy stuff with whipped cream.
Mathematically, if you factor in the card's two free drink opportunities (upon purchase and your birthday), here's how the two types will break even:
Drip Coffee Types: 136 small cups of drip coffee (just under three a week or 11 cups a month)
Fancy Folks: 42 four-dollar drinks (just under one a week or four a month)