Why Is the Starbucks App Not Working? Frustrated Customers Seek Answers

Have you found yourself wondering why the Starbucks app is not working? You aren’t alone. Over the past few days, Starbucks customers everywhere have faced the same frustrating issue. The app not working has prevented customers from placing orders, paying with the app, and using their rewards. Unsurprisingly, this frustration has boiled over on social media.

Over the past 48 hours, Starbucks customers have taken to Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) to express their frustrations. What are customers saying about the app not working? More importantly, has Starbucks offered any answers? Keep reading as we dive into what’s going on.

Many customers have taken to Reddit to voice their struggles with the app. One user posted, "Is anyone still having trouble with the app? It didn’t work all day yesterday, but I was hoping it would be resolved by today at least." This sentiment reflects the feelings of many who expected a quick resolution but found themselves experiencing the same problem on a different day.

Some customers attempted to resolve their issues by reinstalling the app. Unfortunately, this only seemed to make the problem worse.

"I stupidly reinstalled the app and now I can't log back in. Couldn't scan to pay. Had to use my debit card," shared another Redditor.

This has caused panic among some who rely on the app for convenience, customization, and their mental health. “So annoying. Don’t have time to go in, especially when everybody is gonna be going in," one Reddit user added.

The anxiety surrounding the app’s outage has been intense, especially for those who find comfort in not having to speak to a person when placing their orders.

"Yes, I'm working from home today and was gonna do a run. As crazy as it sounds, I feel anxiety having to order in person because of all my customization," said another Reddit user.

Per Down Detector, there were over 2,500 customers who reported the app not working around 7:24 a.m. EST. Courier Journal reported the number peaked at over 3,600 customers on Thursday morning. Just after 8 a.m., the number of customers reporting issues dropped to just 75. Presently, the app is reportedly working fine. Customers, however, still aren't happy.

Concerns and frustrations about the app not working continued on X. One X user noted the situation was really "upsetting" them as the app hadn’t worked properly during their morning commute in days.

One key difference between Reddit and X users is that many use X to find relief in humor related to the situation. For example, one individual joked they got on X just to confirm the app wasn’t working properly. This individual found relief in not being the only person with the problem. Many have also used entertaining animated GIFs to vent.

Some customers proceeded to blast Starbucks noting that their products were far too expensive for the app to not work multiple days in a row. One X user penned: “Hey @Starbucks, a working app would be nice. You can be expensive, or you can be inconvenient, but you can’t be both.”

Not everyone reacting to the situation was doing so in a panic. In fact, there were many who thought everyone was overreacting. One X user noted it was "stunning" the way people were melting down about the app not working. Responding to the panic, many others echoed this sentiment with variations of "you’ll live."

As Starbucks works to resolve these issues, the lack of response from the company has only fueled annoyed customers. Multiple outlets, including CBS MoneyWatch, have reached out for comments regarding the app’s issues. Starbucks, however, has not responded.

Some customers speculate the recent release of the holiday menu could be the culprit. The working theory is that the increase in app usage as everyone rushed to order the new holiday drinks may have caused the app to crash. Unfortunately, this is just speculation as Starbucks has not addressed the problem.

While the app seems to be functioning again for many, the recurring outages have left customers feeling uneasy and seeking answers. As loyal Starbucks fans eagerly await clarity, the recent app troubles highlight the challenges of technology.