"Rewards Faster"

This is the slogan Starbucks is using to encourage devotees to think that stripping their Rewards Program of rewards is a good idea. What they've done is change their program to match the frequent buyer program of every other coffee house, shack, or roadside stand on the planet. No free syrups. No free soy. No free drink if you pay full retail for a pound of coffee. Heck, you won't even get a free, flippin' postcard anymore. I liked the postcard! Now, you get a free coffee after purchasing 12 just like every other joe joint. They might as well go back to using punch cards.

Okay, getting rid of the postcard is a good idea that I can support. On the other hand, the paper punch card might be more environmentally correct than the plastic ones. At this point, the plastic ones aren't really needed, are they? But there's no longer a reason to choose Starbucks over another coffee joint. Certainly not the price. Their only hope is they have enabled the coffee addictions of enough of the coffee consuming public that it won't matter.

Well, this morning, I'm drinking Seattle's Best. Take that!