The Starbucks Items You Sadly Can't Get With Your Birthday Reward

When you're the kind of person who signs up for restaurant rewards, one of the most exciting perks is making your annual birthday mecca to accumulate all of your free goodies. Whether you're headed for that free pretzel at Auntie Anne's or free birthday breakfast at IHOP, it's your day to feel special! Starbucks, that beloved coffee giant with a robust rewards program, offers a birthday deal, too — but there are some stipulations to know before you jump into the drive-thru line.

If you're part of the Starbucks Rewards membership program (which is free to enroll in), you're eligible for a complimentary food or beverage item on your birthday, but you can't use it to order items that come with multiples. For example, you wouldn't be able to use the free birthday reward to order an entire platter of Cranberry Bliss Bars, though you're always welcome to try making our copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bar recipe. 

You also can't use the birthday reward to order alcoholic Starbucks beverages (which you'd find at specific Starbucks Reserves), packaged coffee, or any of those shiny Starbucks travel mugs or other merchandise. Don't expect to cash in the birthday reward at Starbucks Roastery or Princi locations, either, since it won't be accepted for any item there.

According to the Starbucks website, you can use the birthday reward to receive a free "handcrafted beverage," "food item," or "ready-to-drink bottled beverage," which encompasses a lot more than you might imagine. The new Iced Cherry Chai (which stole the show when we tried Starbucks' 2025 spring menu) with 3 shots of espresso and extra cold foam in a venti size? Yours for free, as long as the total stays below $20. A Chocolate Cake Pop on your way to work? No need to pull out your wallet, just your rewards account. Any of those bottled or canned San Pellegrinos by the register? Yes, those count for the free reward, too. Starbucks' reward member birthday deal allows you to treat yourself to a beverage or food item you might not normally indulge in. 

Besides the rules about which items you can and cannot order for the birthday reward, there are also rules about cashing in the freebie. First and foremost, you'll only receive the reward on your birthday if you've been a Starbucks Rewards program member for more than seven days and made at least one purchase earning Stars. You're also only eligible to use the reward on the actual day of your birthday, so if you skip the long line and figure you'll just come back for a free drink tomorrow, that reward will vanish at midnight like Cinderella at the ball. Now that you know the dos and don'ts, you're set to get the most out of your free Starbucks birthday drink and have yourself a very caffeinated birthday.