The TikTok Hack That Ruined Starbucks' Caffè Misto Reward

There is no shortage of Starbucks hacks floating around on TikTok that can take your drink orders to the next level, whether you're hoping to sip an extra-velvety hot chocolate or want to upgrade your Pink Drink to taste like a sweet Creme Saver candy. But in addition to tips suggesting surprising flavor combinations that make for new additions to the unofficial Starbucks secret menu, Starbucks-frequenting TikTok users also regularly share ingenious ways to save money at the coffee chain. However, those wallet-friendly workarounds might not last long once the company catches wind of them.

Take, for example, the caffè misto star rewards hack that made the rounds on the social media platform back in 2022. TikTok user @lyellgirl shared her secret to getting a custom, latte-like beverage for free, using only 50 star rewards on the Starbucks app. Per her video detailing the loophole, all you needed to do was place an order for a caffè misto, which is one part brewed coffee and one part steamed milk, and customize it to your liking.

You were able to swap in almond or oat milk, add shots of espresso, and request all sorts of flavored syrups, toppings, and swirls. No matter how you upgraded it, the drink counted as a basic hot coffee, and only required 50 stars to get it for a grand total of 0 dollars. Well, it was certainly a good deal...while it lasted.

The hack went viral, having racked up more than 1.3 million likes and well over 100,000 shares on the platform since it was first posted. Its apparent popularity seemed to have caught the attention of Starbucks corporate, and unfortunately for those coffee-drinkers who made use of the trick, and for fans of the caffè misto drink in general, the company was quick to put an end to that little workaround. Now, even the basic caffè misto will cost you 200 star points if you wanted to get it for free on the app. Sayonara to those 50-star savings.

Needless to say, plenty of folks were miffed about the rewards hike. But their ire wasn't necessarily directed at the company for closing the loophole. Rather, Starbucks savers were angry about the widespread sharing of the ordering trick, and its subsequent death by social media. In one Reddit thread bemoaning the star increase of the caffè misto drink, Redditors pointed fingers at the TikTok users who cause such hacks to go viral, as well as the droves of people who rush to game the system, raising red flags to company higher-ups.

As Redditor u/thingwithfeathers38 wrote in the thread, "this is why you should never post about a hack...tell your immediate circle and don't make it trend." Another user complained, "You can thank the 'TikTok hackers' for that one...there are people who actually wanted to order a misto and now have to waste 150 extra stars because...greedy teenagers tried to cheat the system."