I went to Starbucks for the first time in months over the weekend. It’s not my favorite coffee, but I used to go regularly because it’s down the street, in most casinos, and there were plenty of offers while rewards were easy to earn.
When the company changed its rewards program earlier this year, it got rid of almost all of the offers and promotions. I’m grateful for the change because without the incentive, I’ve been going to the better local coffee shops in the area. (I’ll share my favorites at the end if you’re curious.)
This reminded me of a tweet I saw a few weeks ago from Stripstumble, a great follow.
The problem above is more annoying than anything else. The technology should work, and employees of a company should be able to help.
It took Mr. Stumble multiple attempts to fix his problem, but all appears to be good now.
This goes beyond a rewards-linking issue. It’s a matter of competence.
Spending money at a business shouldn’t be difficult. The operations should operate properly so we can spend money and receive what’s promised – whether it’s an experience, food, or rewards.
Moving On from Rewards Programs That Aren’t Rewarding
I’m as easily turned off as I am turned on in all facets of life. And I hold grudges for way too long.
If there are equal or better options, I move on if a business doesn’t meet my needs or falls short of what I expect.
That happens with everything from coffee shops to casinos.
The header image is one of my favorite rewards of all time. A comp bottle of wine on a comp terrace suite at The Cosmopolitan.
After visiting, staying, playing, eating, and drinking at the casino monthly for around 24 consecutive months in the early 2020s, I’ve rarely visited since MGM Rewards took over operations.
I stopped gambling at Boyd Gaming properties about 10 years ago when the company changed to the B-Connected rewards program. The program stopped awarding points to lower-tier players. Since I couldn’t earn rewards as small as comp pancakes, a cup of coffee, or just a soda, I moved on.
Suncoast used to be part of my Summerlin rotation with Red Rock and occasionally Rampart. That ended when Boyd stopped awarding points to members at the lowest tier.
If I spend money and a business offers rewards, great. I’ll take them. If a competitor offers rewards for the same or similar experience, that’s where I’ll spend my money.
That was about 10 years ago, and I still hold onto part of that grudge.
I visit Boyd casinos sometimes to eat or drink with friends, but I rarely gamble. When I do, it’s usually a $100 table buy-in or a $20 video poker session. That’s it.
I’ve always been finicky and remain that way with everything from rewards to customer service. You can see which businesses I frequent on the socials.
When I was on the East Coast, I spent most of my casino time at Showboat instead of the other Harrah’s/Caesars properties because they treated me well and the rewards for my budget were much better.
What would get you to dump a rewards program for someone else?
My Local Coffee Shops
I live just east of Summerlin and, between chains and local coffee shops, there are six within two street lights. Here are my favorites:
The Coffee Class: Currently my favorite because the cold brew is delicious. They also upgraded their hot beans to keep me coming back when it’s not 110 degrees every day.
Dessert Wind Coffee Roasters: The variety of coffee beans roasted in-house is unmatched. Beans from Kenya are my favorite.
Madhouse: The only place in Las Vegas to get the Intelligentsia coffee. They’re also open 21 hours a day, which is great for an early riser.
Vesta Coffee Roasters: The hot and cold brews are unique and delicious. They also have two spots inside Durango Casino.
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Marc grew up on the mean streets of the South Bronx. He's the rare combination of Yankees and Jets fan which explains his often contrarian point of view. He learned about gambling at a young age working down the street from a bookie who took action on anything from the mainstream sports to the last three digits of the purse for certain horse races. Yeah, that's a thing. Today Marc is a freelance writer and social media consultant which allows him to work anywhere there's a wifi signal. This allows him to work from the sportsbook at Red Rock Resort or the food court at The Venetian where you’ll find fast and free wifi. Writing about steak, booze, gambling and Las Vegas is a tough job but somebody has to do it.