Giving Away Starbucks Gift Cards to Military Service Members
13 February 2026 • by Bob • Military
For more than decade now, I've been carrying a stack of Starbucks gift cards with me whenever I travel, and I hand them out to members of the military I see in uniform as I thank them for their service. I usually have a few gift cards in my pocket ready to go when the need arises, and I generally have a dozen more in my laptop back that I keep in reserve.
Most service members are surprised at the offer, but nearly all of them have been genuinely appreciative and humbled. I've had a few misadventures along the way, like when I've had to chase service members down when they were walking fast in an opposite direction. Occasionally I'll hand out gift cards to veterans wearing a cap that identifies them as having served in the Vietnam War or the Gulf War, but for the most part I stick to service members in uniform to avoid "stolen valor."
I recently ran into a funny situation in Chicago, where dozens of sailors who looked like they had just got out of Basic Training were waiting for a flight. Their numbers easily exceeded my stockpile of gift cards, so I had to run to the nearest Starbucks to refill my supply. When I returned to their group, one sailor refused the gift card she was offered. When I asked why, she replied, "Because I don't like coffee," to which I responded, "They also sell water. And orange juice. And they make sandwiches, so you can buy lunch. But if you simply don't want to go to Starbucks, you can always give the gift card to someone you were stationed with." She begrudgingly accepted the gift card, but I must admit - after having given away over a hundred gift cards over the years, that's the first time that someone has refused.
Tags: Military