A free drink!?!

this makes me subliminally happy!

It's free but you have to pay $5?

Thanks, but I'll stick with Panera's version of free wifi.

Didn't Starbucks always have free WiFi... I am confused.

ladypenguin - the $5 card is for coffee, tea, treats etc. You don't have to spend it, it's just so that it proves you are a Starbucks customer. Granted, I'm sure they are hoping that you'll buy at least one drink!

Sheesh. Still too many rules — I think they should just make it free, period.

i always thought they had free wi-fi, too?! that would be the only reason i would ever step foot in one!

ladypenguin is right - this Wifi is not really free. you have to buy and maintain the starbucks card - which will inevitably end up with money left on it.

http://socialmediabutterfly.com/why-starbucks-free-wifi-isnt-really-free

here's my question though - i have cards that i've registered to the site already, that i've paid for - but does that mean that i don't get the free wifi? hmm...i'm going to have to ask about that cause that would upset me if i had to buy ANOTHER card.

Yeah, I get that $5 is for food and drink...but it sounds like you have to make a purchase at least once a month with that card.

Granted, anyone who is going into Starbucks is and should be buying something anyway, but adding the card to the mix seems so confusing.

I'm not a Starbucks drinker anyway, but it always surprised me that they charged for WiFi at all.

Um, why should I pay for a Starbucks card for free wi-fi when I can get it pretty much anywhere for free?

Kiss those seats goodbye.

That offer doesn't make any sense....FREE wifi, if you pay & register a $5 gift card?? I don't get how its FREE????

Hmm, although I haven't gone there in a while, I think the starbucks here in the Philippines already has free wifi and we can charge our laptops for free in the outlets provided. I really should check that out again to make sure.

Sunbum - Basically the $5 card (which acts as a Starbucks Debit card), proves that you actually purchase things there... So you aren't ripping off their free WiFi. You don't have to use it all at once.. Just make sure you purchase something once a month (like a coffee or tea).

And underyourwaves - unlike other restaurants/cafes/and bars that offer free WiFi, AT&T's service will offer a more secure connection.

The Starbucks here in Chile has totally free wifi, which is amazing. It always really bothered me how they charged for it in the US when I was there.

I always end up falling for that free wifi gimmick. In SF I'll try and use the wifi while i'm out and about and then a tmobile page pops up and asks me to log in. I think the only place ive ever used free wifi that didn't cut out every other second was at the airport.

How does Starbucks make more money: one person sprawled out studying at a table for four for two hours, or filling up that table TWICE in two hours with four people chatting and drinking coffee?

I like to meet up with my Mom at Starbucks for coffee and chat. Sometimes we have to leave because all of the tables are being used by people working and studying. We've even seen people ask the baristas for the music to be turned off because they're trying to work!

I think this is Starbucks' way of saying, "Well, if we're stuck with losing table space to people who come here to work, we may as well boost our ROI by making them buy more stuff."