This is the oldest Starbucks partner card I’ve ever seen. It belongs to a friend of mine who was a partner in the 1994 to 1995 era, hired by the University Village Starbucks. She hasn’t been a partner for many years, but was recently cleaning out some old boxes and she stumbled upon these old cards. I find it curious that in that era, the cards had an expiration date on them, and they were apparently re-issued to partners periodically.
I have a long and detailed blog post about the University Village Starbucks (store #302 – The second ever store), and I still highly recommend it:
By the way, it might not be obvious but my friend Cherilyn’s partner number was six digits. I just thought it was interesting to see a vintage partner card, and thought you might like seeing it too.
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This is an open thread and feel free to talk about anything Starbucks-related in the comments. One of the funny things about this blog is that I get random emails through the “contact me” form, and also direct messages through twitter, and people just sort of pass on to me what they’ve heard is coming to Starbucks. Of course, this doesn’t mean that they’ve gotten it right, or know what they’re talking about. I enjoy getting those kinds of emails. I assume that some of what I hear is early information about what might be coming soon. About another one-third of the emails I get really should be routed to Customer Service. I am sorry but if you’ve picked up a dry pastry at an airport Starbucks, there is nothing I can do about it. I don’t mean to sound rude, but I am not customer service. In the side column of this blog, near the bottom, I’ve added a link to customer service too. And with the delayed launch of Casi Cielo, I’ve had at least three separate e-mails inquiring when Casi Cielo will be back in the stores. It is coming soon! It will be back next month.
Over the years, there have been tons of these emails. (Keep them coming!). Some of them are quite entertaining. Two years ago, a partner wrote me insisting that his store was testing face recognition technology at his Starbucks store. I was left scratching my head, and I really was never sure if it was a serious email or if someone was pulling my leg. From that email, I had the idea to write this April Fool’s Day blog entry. That April Fool’s Day joke blog post was set in Pennsylvania because the partner who wrote me indicated that the testing was in that state somewhere.
More recently, I have received an email stating that orange syrup is coming back to Starbucks as a promo syrup this upcoming summer. I really don’t know if that is true, but at least it makes some sense. It’s been a long while since Starbucks offered orange syrup, and I think it was recently an international offering in Indonesia. Once in a while, the syrup promotions seem to rotate from one country to another! And then very recently, I heard that Starbucks was planning on changing their logo yet again. I am disbelief at that one too, but maybe there is an April Fool’s Day joke in the making with the idea of a new logo: Starbucks to re-design her signature siren logo: Michelle Gass and Annie Young Scrivner vie for the opportunity to model for new Siren. Oh god, I think Starbucks would hate me for that one. In any case, I think that many of the ‘tips’ I get turn out to be incorrect, so I would not hold my breath that the logo is changing again.
Anyway, I have rambled enough. It’s your turn now…
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WOOW!! Thanks Mel and thanks Cherilyn for posting this here.
What material was this card made off? Is it just paper?
This one looks a little bit like the provisional card that I received before getting my real partner card after 6 months of employment.
The orange syrup part is true in the Philippines. It is part of the current promotional drink – Valencia Macchiato.
PS I love the Aged Sumatra you sent! Thanks a lot!
Wow, that sure is very old! But I’m just wondering about the partner’s benefit, do they really get 1 bag of whole bean coffee every week? If I’m not mistaken here the partners only get it per month, but maybe its because here we don’t drink coffee as much. LOL. Oh, and about the Valencia syrup, we got here in Malaysia too. This time around the promo drinks are different even in neighboring countries here… =)
Great to see an old partner card. Re promotions- Curious- how does the marketing dept decide on what promotion goes in what region or if it should nationally? I also wonder if they will review the Jan tumbler promotion and see how to me ineffective it was from the customer’s end of it. Also, with Valentine’s Day arriving soon, has anyone seen any cupcakes? Hope if they bring them back they rethink the baker they will use.
Went to a Starbucks finally last week, and got my first 2 stars on my UK account, thankful that I can use multiple cards, found a few with money still on them. Still have yet to try Vanillia Spice though, but couldn’t resist getting in another eggnog latte before it’s gone for the year.
So getting back on topic a little, what do partners get with the partner card, is it a 10% discount or something? I’m curious : )
I’ll have to see if my friend with a 208xxx number still has his original partner card!
@Jennytablina – The partner card identifies someone as a Starbucks employee. I don’t think that the perks have changed dramatically since 1995! The pink sticker describes that they get a discount and weekly coffee, and I think that partners still fundamentally have the same benefits. Maybe someone will weigh in who is a partner.
@GreyGhostX – That person must’ve been hired in the early 1990s!
Our paper cards still have expiration dates – they’re good for 90 days and then need to be re-issued. They’re used when you first become a partner, and then if you were to lose your permanent one and be waiting for another one to be sent to you.
We actually have a very tenured district – 4 partners with 6-digit partner numbers. I also am curious what their original cards look like.
As to questions about what the partner card gets you, in N. America, you get a 30% discount at any company-owned store, and a free pound of coffee (or box of tea or 12-pack of Via) a week. I don’t know about other countries though!
I sure hope we get Valencia this summer! Passion Tea Lemonades haven’t been the same!
I have a friend whose numbers start with 338(11-12 years with Starbucks continuously). Interesting to see the old partner cards and that the partner perks haven’t changed much. I really enjoy the pound of coffee a week and the partner beverages when working.
Meoldy, I have an interview for assistant store manager in two weeks. I want to order Blue Java or find a international offering. Where do you normally find your exotic coffees?
@Diele I know that some of the selected Reserves can be ordered online, but depending on what they are, they sell out fast so good luck!
Hmm, interesting! It’d be great to see Valencia, Melon, and some of the other old flavors pop up again behind the bar. For old time’s sake 🙂
A few years ago, Dark Cherry made its’ way to the US from overseas if I’m not mistaken. Maybe we’ll see the same thing happen!
@TheRootinator – I agree that if you’re going to make a wild guess about summer seasonal syrups, valencia is not a bad guess, partly based on that pattern of going from international to the US market. I still wouldn’t hold my breath though. 😉
@Diele – I hope you see this. The Reserve stores have a variety of coffees – There are still a few bags of Harrar floating around a few downtown Seattle stores. The two “experimental” stores used to get really rare international offerings, like the special Kape Vinta blend from the Philippines. 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea is now officially a Starbucks, so no more special coffees there. I haven’t checked at Roy Street – I will do that for sure this week for you. In Seattle, there is also Pike Place Special Reserve which is a dark latin american blend just for the Market. Only two Starbucks sell Pike Place Special Reserve: 1912 Pike Place and the First and Pike Starbucks. That’s always something unique to have too. I can send out some coffees to you quickly but I need your postal address again. Likely though, I’ll just find Reserve coffees, and the Special Reserve.
http://www.starbucksmelody.com/2009/10/16/pike-place-special-reserve-pike-place-blend-pike-place-roast-the-three-coffee-conundrum/
I will definitely check online for the reserve. I just wish there was a way to purchase international offerings online. I did a tasting with Kape Vinta for my district manager. She loved it and I think it would be exceptional for my interview. I just don’t want to have any ordinary blend. A little insider told me the interviewers favorite coffees and I was tempted to make a blend like Verona is. 80% Kenya, 20% Espresso Roast for the sweetness. LOL!
This is really cool…thanks for sharing! If I remember correctly, even my number in ’98-’99 was still what I believe to be the norm now of 9 digits(?). Either way, six just seems sort of quaint, for lack of a better term. I imagine if she had stayed on since those days, she very well may have cashed in by now on some pretty nice Starbucks stocks/shares! Not to mention have a pretty nice spot in the company – to me, and all of us who love Starbucks so much, certainly just as valuable and desirable!
I joined in Dec ’96 (at the first free-standing DT store in the company) and had a six-digit number not that much larger than the one here (although it’s hard to imagine how relatively small the company was then…the goal was to have 2,000 total stores by the year 2000). The paper card thing seemed archaic even at the time, as arrived only every couple of weeks (with paychecks?) and were typically kept in the safe. There were supposed to be temporary hand-written cards for new partners but those either were in short supply or got lost, so new partners would typically only have access to the discount at their own location (and again, the delay could be much longer if the partners didn’t push the manager or SS to retrieve the card from the safe).
@RobertLamb – True if she’d stuck with Starbucks she’d likely be in the SSC now since back then people moved from store to corporate hq much more easily than now! But I can tell you that she is happily a lawyer now. 🙂
I am working my way up and hope one day I will be a development partner who will be active on MSI and implement test products around the country, ambitous I know.
I worked with a partner whose number is 304***. She had her 10th anniversary while we worked together a couple of years ago. Having been a partner for almost 6 years, I’m getting pretty good at guessing how long someone’s worked for the company based only on their partner number – I’m a 134****.
@Melody — interesting post and comments regarding the Partner Cards and the possible return of orange syrup (for the sake of many I hope it is the valencia).
Since this is an open thread I am surprised that no one has mentioned Starbucks media blitz regarding Starbucks Beer, Wine, and Dine stores in Southern California and Atlanta. It is quite unusual to see articles in every newspaper (from local to national, business to trendy), segments on all major TV news programs (FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and MSNBC), and Internet sites like Drudge as well as news and gossip sites. If this was a national rollout and not just a test market I could understand. IMHO this is a blatant maneuver to get buzz and feedback. I think it could produce something other than the desired effect.
@dadcooks. I’m on a Kindle. sorry sloppy. It has been a media blitz with the announcement of new beer and wine stores. I mostly try to stay away from thing that are just to create hot emotions, like the latest lawsuits, and the like. I noticed on MSI. already many people complaining about adding beer and wine, and it feels like the conversations from a year ago are back. I would just LOVE to know where in So Cal! I can imagine the LA Live location might be a possibility. It is amazing no one here has talked about the new beer wine stores. ugh. I’m writing in a hurry, not sure I really got down what i wanted
@DadC…… we heard about 7 of these being added to the Chicago area (this yr soemtime??) It was all in the, I think, summer or maybe early fall? papers, tv etc. I actually sent the url to the Trib. articla about it to Melody whne it was in the news. Most people generally don’t ‘get it’ at all and I personally, wish it wouldn’t happnen. I wish for the Sbux coffee house and coffee experience that it used to be. (but then, I don’t trally drink……just some very good champagne once in a blue moon.
and, now that you mentioned it…it must also have JUST been somewhere in the news here because a guy I know in Sbux was telling me his rxn to it. (I don’t even know his name…we sit and talk all the time…. anyway, he is not in favor…..thinks it would change things alot and he’d just jeard it a day or so ago….)
wow! sorry for the HUGE typo mess in above comment! time to get OFFline!
@Melody — your doing well for using a Kindle. Did I hear you say you have a Fire? I do have one and I use a stylus when “typing” and “navigating”, better accuracy than my old fat fingers 😉 , I use the stylus on my smartphone and other tablets.
I haven’t been over to MSI today, but I was anticipating the sort of blather you describe. I am in a bit of a grump and do not know if I could tolerate much of the trash from Cafeslinger and Solo_Dopio, just to mention a couple of pleasant (not) folks.
I rang up a partner who’s number was 50! Yes, 50! And she is one of the nicest, kindest partners I’ve ever met.
@Alexa – WOW! That’s a long-term commitment to Starbucks! Very cool!
My store had a partner that had been around for 11 years! His old number was a 6 digit as well but he got a new one when he transferred to Canada.
Our newest partner has a 1800— number now! I’m a 155—- and I’ve only been here 4 years.
I had to double take on the name of the featured store: mine is officially called University Marketplace, but we get called University Village all the time! I’m in 4420 in BC. Our store just passed its 10 year anniversary, and is up for Reno soon! We’re in a ‘short store’, but I’m holding my breath for a clover!
That’s pretty neat that your friend shared that card with you and that she had it for so long.
I am in the process of remodeling my house and I have stumbled upon some very old items that I had forgotten about, nothing so interesting that someone could write a bog post about, though. It is kind of fun to stumble upon those things that might spark a distant memory, even if only for a second.
On another note, I finally got around to trying the Veranda Blend. A little late getting out of the gate.
As I was ordering for a friend as well to try, I inadvertently blurted out, “two tall blondes, please, oh crap, sorry”. Blush. The partner took pity on my blunder and I hit the jackpot with lots of samples of both the ground and Via. I like it, I do believe, as an afternoon-kind-of-coffee. It would not work for me as a first-cup-of-the-morning, I need a bit of a slap in the face in the morning. The Veranda has a lean back and put your feet up taste. Nice and easy feeling coffee.
Thanks for the sharing, Melody.
@Sandra – I have seen a few baristas who were 180xxxx – Starbucks is so huge. They’ve been through just under two million employees in the past nearly 30+ years? And congrats on 4 years. Has your store had its 10 year remodel?
@DadCooks – I am at the point where MSI is giving me a headache, nearly literally. I am not allowed to defend myself. The site can be littered with links all over the place and ONE gets edited. And no one ever gets banned. And honestly, I’m not totally sure who is who, there have been SOO many repeat accounts. As always, I just look for ideas that seem interesting, and try to write helpful replies where I can, and attempt to wear blinders at MSI mostly. I think I wrote this same comment about MSI at some previous point too. I just don’t have time!
@Rebecca – I assumed that the bottom card was Cherilyn’s first of the 3 cards. Back in this 1995 era, it appears there were only paper cards. It does look like a temporary card, and an expiration date on a temporary card makes some sense! That I understand. Thanks for weighing in.
Im a 304XXX 😉
@Melody- thanks! I was pretty excited for my anniversary! We haven’t had our remodel yet, I assume they’re waiting until the summer as its much quieter for us then because we are right by the university.
To awnser a few Qs I’ve seen on here: our benefits are the same now as they are on that card for all company operated stores in North America.
Also, as far as light roast in the afternoon goes, it’s better in the morning because the caffeine content is much higher! The darker the roast, the more flavorful. The lighter the roast, the more powerful. 🙂 I’m usually a dark roast drinker myself, but I was pleasently surprised by Veranda!
Partner benefits are the same as what Rebecca posted here in the UK.
Also 50% off food and free drinks (excluding bottled bevs) while working (and 30 minutes before and after). And technically our breaks don’t officially start until we’ve stood in the queue, ordered and received our partner beverage.
Wow, I’m loving all this conversation about partner numbers. I think things are a little weirder here in the UK in that respect though… partners I know who are around the 10 year mark have numbers that start with 1XXXXXX… then at a specific point, from about 8-6 years service they have numbers beginning with 303XXXX and 304XXXX… then everyone who was hired between 2007 until the end of last year (when we moved over to the Simphony system here in the UK) was some kind of variation on the 500XXXX, 501XXXX, 502XXXX, etc etc model. It’s really strange so I hope I’ve explained it here, even though to be fair I don’t quite understand it myself. I’m a 501XXXX number, but when the Simphony system was rolled out to stores everyone recieved new partner numbers for the registers… and I’m pretty sure everyone in the country starts with 17XXXXX for that system.
Really weird way of doing things here but you can tell how long someone has been with the company just from their number too, and it’s always fun… I remember starting in my first ever (new opening) store and the people who’d been around for a while were amazed at all us newbies partner numbers and how high they were! Much hilarity!
Oh, I didn’t really make myself clear… Our system is weird because there are people with 1XXXXXX , 3XXXXXX, and 5XXXXXX numbers but absolutely no partners with 2XXXXXX/4XXXXXX numbers whatsoever. It seemed to jump up through the even numbers rather than actually methodically increase as people were hired!
Wowza! What a neat artifact! A batch of new partner cards arrived at my store for partners who were hired within the last 6 months. The new ones looks cool!
@CamSpi – I haven’t seen the new card. I really thought the new Siren ones were very pretty, but didn’t realize they had a scratch problem of getting scratched too easily.
@*********** – The 29 Star dash sounds AWESOME. I get it already. It takes 30 stars to gold (as you know!) and my anniversary date was January 6th so I have to re-become Gold then. I am Gold now, and I’ve been pushing myself this month, and I think I am at like 70 stars. There have been a couple of times where I had transactions rung up separately but actually not much. Sounds like a GREAT whole bean idea!
When I saw ****************** post that I thought it was a partner only thing. I didn’t see an email about it. Can someone fwd it to me? I’m intrigued!!!
@************* and Hayley – Okay, now I am confused. I apologize profusely – I misunderstood ************ then. I thought she was saying that the Star Dash was coming next month, and that partners got the email. But I think I was reading too fast, and now I’m not sure I understand.
melody, i have a little notebook for you, when we’re around again 🙂
I too am confused. 😕
What is this 29 Star Dash?
Starbucks better do something soon for us Bold/Dark drinkers. More than a month-and-a-half of Italian is getting real old. 🙄 Also only brewing Veranda, no Willow yet.
My regular Starbucks is only doing a 3 cadence (Blonde-Pike-Dark). Only one airpot of Decaf to satisfy some regulars, but if they are a little early or late, too bad. The slightest little variance from norm (i.e. big order, several back-to-back warmed items) and the cadence falls apart and doesn’t recover until there is a long lull. It appears that coverage hours have been cut as frequently the morning only has 2 behind the counter. From my perspective morning business has been as busy to busier than usual so I do not understand the reduced coverage. Some of you may recall that I have mentioned that this store is not working with a full crew, still true and even less floaters. 🙁
@DadCooks – Weird that so many places are talking about just having Italian on the brew. Here in Seattle, within one week, I’ve found Yukon, Christmas Blend, Gold Coast, Italian, and French Roast. I would think that Casi will be on the brew soon?
As to the 29 Star Dash – Here’s what I imagine – and this is just from the title and the wee bit of info in Diele’s comment: There are 29 days in Feb this year. Casi Cielo also launches Feb this year. Have a promotion where if you earn 29 stars during the month of February, that gets you a pound of coffee? That’s what my guess would be…
Since everyone else is chiming in on unrelated topics, I guess I’ll do the same: can we have a separate post explaining the 29 Star Dash? Apparently there are many Rewards Gold members that received nothing about this (probably much like that blasted postcards that usually get lost in the mail).
Concerning undrinkable brewed coffee choices: AMEN! I returned my 31 Days tumbler because I couldn’t stand another day of Italian or Pike. They aren’t worth being “free”; SBUX should pay people to drink those. I haven’t ever gotten McDonald’s coffee, but apparently it’s better than those (or Veranda, of course!). Even the quality varies widely from day to day. I’m borrowing a friend’s 31 Days tumbler while he’s out of town, and I got Verona (thank heavens!) yesterday. It was great! Yet today at the same location it tasted like a bad cross between Pike and ITA. At any rate, the 31 Days promo has definitely gotten me to (again) appreciate the much-better local shops and made me decide to give up coffee for Lent this year (and perhaps much longer). Yes, SBUX quality (and service) has reached such lows that I went from wanting to work there in my younger years (which I did) to giving up coffee altogether.
Dad Cooks funny you should mention about coverage behind the counter because I have actually seen the opposite in the am hours. There seem to be more partners behind the counter in the am hours. Melody re the 29 Star Dash comment- that would be an interesting promotion for sure.
Melody, since I replied as you were posting, please ignore my 29 Star question.
My only thought regarding COD options is that SBUX does a much better job in their home market, because expectations are high. In places like ATL, where even the 30-second rule is often ignored (a partner must acknowledge a customer within 30 seconds of entering), it has a very different feel (more like a low-quality fast food establishment in many cases). Some of the stores and partners here remind me of the old Avis commercials depicting the disinterested, unwilling-to-help, half-asleep competition that (unlike Avis) doesn’t “Try Harder.”
Since this is an open thread, I have to ask- Are partners supposed to abide by the 30 second rule? Never heard of it before now as it relates to SB. I understand the customer service angle, but then awhile back was there not an issue about the quality of the drink and partners were supposed to only make two drinks at a time? Is that how it was changed? I remember an uproar over customers having to wait for their drinks, etc.
@Carl – When I worked at Eddie Bauer, it was more like 15 seconds to acknowledge a customer coming in the door. I hear customer service stories from a variety of places where partners sound disinterested in the customer. I don’t see it to be a problem in Seattle (generally speaking – There are a couple of stores which need work, even downtown).
@purple1 – Yep, I think partners are not to make more than two drinks at a time. I generally see one drink made at time here in Seattle.
@Carl — you express some of my same sentiments regarding the 31 Free Tumbler, not only is the tumbler of inferior quality (leaks, inside condensation, no heat retention). I have received more than the value paid in coffee, but that coffee has been only one variety and not brewed to usual standards.
I’ll take a very critical eye if Starbucks ever tries to pull a similar promotion. IMHO this is not the way to run a promotion in a premium establishment. Oh wait, Starbucks is lowering itself to their perceived competition: Dunkin’ and McD.
I live in Southeastern Washington, in an area called the Tri-Cities (9 company stores and 4 licensed). We are the third largest metro area in WA (Seattle-Tacoma, Spokane, Tri-Cities). Since I get to Seattle a few times a year, I can guarantee you that Seattle is its own little world, I could fill a blog with the differences. It did not used to be that way. I peg the downfall to the time when binned coffee went away and drive-thrus and automatic espresso machines appeared.
Melody, sorry to be so grumpy. It is with reluctance that I now refer to the Starbucks store I frequent as just my “regular” and no longer use “favorite”. 2011 was not good for Starbucks in this area, too much turnover and too little “legendary” at all the stores. The good and experienced Baristas and managers have been spread too thin and from my perspective the DM is concerned with micromanaging shelf facing and basket placement.
DadCooks: yeah, the horrible quality of the tumbler was one of the major reasons for the return. It is similar (but far worse) than one that Panera once gave away for free. I think a paper cup may have better insulating qualities, and at least it won’t leak on your clothes. Also, I didn’t realize upon initial purchase that the 31 Days tumbler can’t be washed in a dishwasher. Perhaps it would disintegrate?! I also continue to be amazed by the horrible service that comes with the tumbler: one partner asked me “what makes you think you deserve free coffee?” This was more than two weeks into the month, and yet he claimed to know nothing about it. He did not apologize or say a word when I pointed out the verbiage on the cup. I have a tumbler to a friend for Christmas, and he’s received similar treatment. At one point, the barista yelled across the store to the SS (while holding up the tumbler), “when are we finally going to be done with these?!” He replied, “I don’t know, but I hope it’s very soon!” All this was while my friend stood patiently at the register just waiting for awful coffee. The barista returned the filled cup to him and needless to say didn’t think him. He’d already put money in the tip cube, too. This is modern SBUX.
@Carl – Oh my god!! That’s terrible. I’ve noticed some (generally younger it seems) baristas who act like customers don’t really deserve any Starbucks-created perk, but thank god it’s a tiny number.
The worst for me was in the middle of January: I handed a register barista my tumbler, and began to order the coffee (3 were brewing) and the barista said to me, “Are you buying that tumbler now?” in that tone of voice like, “Well you need to pay for the tumbler!” – The barista was clueless that in the middle of January, finding that tumbler is impossible.
2 things… I work in a Beerbucks and it does not change the experience AT ALL except most have said it is ‘fancier’ than their usual store experience. I admit I was worried about what alcohol service would do to change clientele but it has not been a problem and our customers LOVE having the option. Also, Starbucks has not released anything saying that Blonde coffee has WAY MORE caffeine than our other offerings but we DID say a couple weeks back on the portal that a Tall has approximately 260 mg of caffeine which is just slightly more than out Medium and Dark offerings which weigh in at 240 mg. Just sayin’