The quarterly Best of Starbucks Reward offers new ways for partners to share in the success of the company with up to $1,200 per year, weekly pay and expanded tip options, building on our competitive pay and industry-leading benefits.* 

Across North America, green apron partners (employees) are bringing Back to Starbucks to life every day by creating welcoming coffeehouses, delivering consistent experiences and strengthening connections with customers. 

Starbucks announced in April that we’d be introducing new ways for eligible partners to earn more through the Best of Starbucks Reward program.*With the fiscal year 2026 fourth quarter now underway, elements of the program are going live. It’s designed to recognize and reward many of the behaviors and contributions that help create a great Starbucks experience every day, from showing up for scheduled shifts and delivering excellent customer service to helping coffeehouses meet key performance expectations. 

To support this next phase of the program, we’re also introducing new tools, reporting and expectations designed to provide greater clarity, transparency and accountability across eligible coffeehouses. This will help more clearly identify the rewards that individual partners qualify for at their coffeehouses. 

Creating greater clarity around success 

Clear expectations are important to our partners. That’s why we’re bringing greater transparency and consistency to how success is measured across our coffeehouses. 

What’s changing: 

• More visibility into Best of Starbucks Reward eligibility 
• Clearer performance measures, including sales, staffing, inventory and Grow performance 
• More consistent attendance expectations, supported by a new points system  

The goal is to make it easier for partners to understand how coffeehouse success is measured, how rewards are earned and how their contributions support coffeehouse performance. 

Today, more than 98% of scheduled shifts are filled on average, and 95% of partners receive their preferred schedules.  

Investing in partners 

Over the past year, Starbucks has invested in coffeehouses to improve both the partner and customer experience, from staffing and operational improvements to additional leadership support, including the new coffeehouse coach role, while offering industry-leading pay and comprehensive benefits. 

The Best of Starbucks Reward program is a way for eligible partners to share in Starbucks success. Collectively, these investments provide the potential for eligible partners to earn an additional 5 to 8% on average, on top of their current compensation. 

• The opportunity to earn a new quarterly Best of Starbucks Reward worth up to $1,200 per year ($300 per quarter) 
• Expanded tipping options for customers on top of the digital and in cafe options that exist today (starting July 22) 
• Weekly pay (starting July 31) 

Looking ahead 

The progress we’re seeing today is partner-led. With the first quarterly Best of Starbucks Reward period underway for eligible coffeehouses, we’re creating more opportunities to recognize the contributions that help coffeehouses succeed and customers feel welcome. The Best of Starbucks Reward program, together with continued investments in partners, is helping strengthen a culture where great work is recognized and success is shared. 

*This Best of Starbucks Reward, weekly pay and expanded tip options, at the approximately 5% of U.S. locations where partners have a union, will be subject to collective bargaining as required by federal law.