Apparently, people will go to your coffee shops if you promise them free coffee. Especially on the day after the Super Bowl.
Starbucks’ “Starbucks Monday” promotion has proven to be one of the most popular offers in the coffee shop chain’s history, the company said Thursday, generating record results for its struggling U.S. business.
The promotion, which provided a free iced or hot coffee to members of the company’s Starbucks Rewards loyalty program, was the most redeemed offer in the chain’s history, a company spokesperson said in an email.
The offer also prompted more people to sign up for the company’s Starbucks Rewards loyalty program than any previous day before.
Foot traffic to the chain’s shops spiked on Monday, according to data from the foot traffic tracking firm Placer.ai.
Visits to Starbucks were 11.3% higher than the average daily visit at the chain since January 1, 2024. Traffic was 26% higher than the average Monday over that same period, according to the data firm.
One barista on the social media site Reddit labeled the day “Madness Monday,” given how busy the stores were as customers lined up for free coffee.
Nevertheless, the chain likely accomplished its objectives in making the offer. Starbucks was coming off one of the worst years in its history, when traffic was down as much as 10% and media reports highlighted numerous frustrations, from mobile order bottlenecks to high prices.
Brian Niccol, named CEO last August, introduced a wide number of changes designed to improve the environment inside coffee shops to make them friendlier. The company started writing names on cups again, reintroduced self-serve creamer stations, created a code of conduct, made free refills available for all and reintroduced ceramic mugs.
The company also started advertising more heavily, including a “Hello Again” ad during the Super Bowl pregame show on Sunday and another one highlighting the free coffee offer during the postgame.
(Check out Starbucks shifts its marketing into high gear.)
The Starbucks Monday promotion was designed to reintroduce customers to the chain and highlight those changes.
“The ‘Starbucks Monday’ promotion achieved several key objectives,” said R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research with Placer.ai. “First, it significantly increased Monday visit counts versus recent months. Second, by offering the promotion exclusively to Starbucks Rewards members, it likely contributed to program growth, creating new opportunities for customer engagement through the app. Lastly, it reintroduced lapsed customers to some of Starbucks’ early changes under CEO Brian Niccol.”
The promotion is the latest sign of customer movement toward Starbucks following that difficult 2024. In November, the company boasted a record Red Cup Day promotion, the annual event in which customers get a free reusable red cup just before the holidays.
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