While Flip The Switch is at its core a site about casinos and gambling, travel scenarios naturally overlap as players take trips to destination resorts or markets like Atlantic City and Las Vegas. So, sometimes travel tips come in handy just as much at casinos as they do anywhere else.
Prior to moving to California, I was more of a Dunkin’ guy than a Starbucks guy. Now that I’m living in Palm Springs, Dunkin’ is an occasional luxury, given the closest one is a half hour away, whereas Starbucks is as ubiquitous as it was in New York City when I worked there.
Casinos tend to be more in favor of Starbucks (although Dunkin’ is more regionally available on the East Coast in particular), but whether in Atlantic City or Las Vegas, there are a few opportunities for Dunkin’ if you know where to look.
Both companies operate rewards programs. You earn points per dollar spent, and once you accrue enough points (Starbucks calls those points stars) you are able to redeem for rewards. The amount it costs to redeem will vary based on the item you wish to purchase. You can generally use for beverages as well as food.
The thing some don’t think about is that when you’re going to a tourist-driven market like Las Vegas, those rewards are more valuable (as long as they’re accepted) being used at the marked up locations over your nearby Starbucks.
My drink of choice is iced tea, which for Starbucks Rewards, for instance, is a 100 star level even for a trenta sized drink. The 2026 update to Starbucks Rewards puts a $6 cap on the beverage you can redeem for 100 stars.
For a long time, for reasons I couldn’t really explain, many MGM properties offered my trenta tea at $3.95 – that was actually less than the going rate at my Starbucks at home. They figured it out around a year ago, as my tea has recently been between $6.75 to $7.95 since (Luxor and Excalibur visitors receiving the lower price).
If I redeem those 100 stars at home, I save $4.75, which is certainly nice, but while on vacation it saves me $6 at a time when I’m spending more overall to begin with. In the case of this example, I’ll be on the hook for the overage, but it’s still a helpful savings, and one that builds if you’re getting multiple drinks over multiple days.
Dunkin’ has a similar scenario where you earn points which can then be redeemed for various drinks and beverages. The earning and redemption numbers work a bit differently, but it’s a similar amount of spend for regular visitors to get a drink.
While the example of drinks is used here, food options are also viable ways to leverage saved up points or stars, and can be equally helpful for driving down food spending costs if you opt for a quick breakfast option from one of the two coffee-centric chains.
If you’re not a frequent customer or have burned through your points/stars balances, a helpful plan B may exist in the form of casino earned comps. Those are the dollars that accrue when you gamble or spend on things like hotel rooms. At MGM properties, for instance, you can both earn or spend your MGM Rewards Points, above and beyond using your Starbucks stars. The same is generally true at Caesars properties.
I’ve had luck using Starbucks stars at smaller groups and individual properties, such as at the Rio or Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, but there is always the potential for a casino to be opted out of the rewards program or not support comps purchases at the point of sale with their players card. So it always helps to check out where you’re staying and nearby if you’re looking to maximize your savings and minimize your spend.
