The only thing people do it more thanStarbucks coffeeisfreeStarbucks coffee . And there are typically two ways to get complimentary coffee : steal it ( which is frowned upon ) , or earn it viaStarbucks Rewards , an app / card which , umm , rewards loyal customers with free drinks and solid food . But the Starbucks Rewards program deepen in a huge direction today , and angry loyalist are need to Twitter to vocalise their dissatisfaction .

How the rewards program has changed

Our pal/‘Bucks expert StarbucksMelodyreported back in Februaryon the redevelopment the wages program was going through . It used to work like this : you ’d be honor with a star every time you visited your local shop . It did n’t matter how much money you spent per sojourn , they only gave you credit for chatter – so in that path , Starbucks was like your mom . She just wanted to see you . Why do n’t you travel to her as much anymore ?

Each sojourn was worth one sensation . After 12 visits / stars , you ’d get a free reward ( coffee!Food ! ) , and after 30 visits / star , you ’d get Gold status . That meant you could get devoid refills in the store . That was the only real perk . But Americans ostensibly drop more clock time at Starbucks than they do in their own homes ( or chit-chat their mother ) , so that ’s a valuable wages !

As of today , things have changed . You ’re awardedtwo star for every $ 1 spent . It takes300 starsto hit that fancy Gold spirit level , though if you use the app / bill of fare to make a purchase between now and May 2nd , you ’ll be amber for a year . And it takes125 stars– as in , you must spend $ 62.50 – to get a destitute coffee or food item . rather of rewarding you for visiting ofttimes , Starbucks ' new computer programme incentivizes customer based on how much money you spend . And people on Twitter are not happy . Here ’s what folk music had to say .

Starbucks drinks

Drew Swantak/Thrillist

One guy wants a scapegoat

Your phone is useless now

Like breaking up with your girlfriend and dating her enemy

So much pain in so few words

TWO drinks?! Now they’ve gone too far.

@PrincessKabash came up with a better headline to this story

Good news: it’s only $62.50!

Finally, someone puts this in an appropriate historical context

Ignorance (with regards to how much you spend at Starbucks) is bliss

I don’t want to be the one who tells her it’s $62.50

Finally, a Starbucks fan who can do math!

Starbucks cup

Drew Swantak/Thrillist