‘An $8 coffee for free’: Target shopper shares hack for getting free refills from Starbucks

There might be hope at the bottom of your empty Starbucks cup.

In May, TikTok creator Kendall Smith (@kendallsmith.904) posted a video claiming that customers can get drink refills at Starbucks locations inside Target stores. The video has almost 780,000 views and 53,000 likes.

“Here’s a crazy Starbucks/Target hack,” Smith says in the video. If you’re shopping at the popular retailer and finish your drink from the in-store cafe, she continues, you can get a free refill on your way out.

“And yes, I said that right, an $8 coffee for free,” she says. 

There seem to be some catches, though, as the comments revealed.

“Not for all drinks though, usually just for iced coffee, hot tea, or iced teas,” one commenter wrote, and many other people echoed the statement. 

“No espresso, refresher, lemonade, sweet cream, flavored syrups,” another commenter added.

“This is at any Starbucks not just target,” one comment read.

A viewer claiming to be a Starbucks employee confirmed in the comments that the refills are for coffee and tea only.

“My Target doesn't do it I've tried,” someone commented.

A representative for Starbucks on Tuesday told the Daily Dot, “This is not a hack but rather a benefit available to all members of the Starbucks Rewards program.” At participating stores, members of the Starbucks Rewards programs can use their card or app to redeem free refills of brewed coffee (hot, iced or cold brew) or tea (hot or iced) in the same size as their original purchase during the same store visit, according to the Starbucks rep.

“Once customers leave the store, the store visit has ended, and subsequent coffee/tea refills would be considered a new purchase,” said the Starbucks rep.

The Starbucks cafes inside Target stores are licensed locations, and the first opened in 1999, according to Target. 

The Daily Dot also reached out to Smith and Target via email.