I don’t know about you, but I’m the type of person who loves to find a good deal, get an extra item for free, or receive a discount for making frequent purchases at the same store or restaurant. From free hot beverages and complimentary samples to accumulating frequent flier miles or hotel points, I’m all for showing loyalty to brands that are making a positive impact on their local communities and the world around us. It was only natural for me, after I got my bearings after living in Spain, that I’d start to recognize some places, try them and become a regular.
These rewards programs in Spain are great ways to immerse yourself in localized written Spanish and can help you become familiar with the local cuisine and palate. However, they may vary by region, given that it’s such a diverse country.
I have quite a few programs and apps that I use year after year, now that I’ve become familiar with many of the different things Spain has to offer. This is the difference between seeing where you live as your home base versus somewhere you are passing through on your way to your next destination.
Let’s get started on this list of rewards programs in Spain, shall we?
1. Grupo VIPS (Club by)
Club by was launched in October 2023 and replaced their original app, Club VIPS, which included Starbucks, However, they decided to end their partnership and replace it with Foster’s Hollywood.
If you’re from the US like me, I must warn you about going to Foster’s Hollywood and expecting the same American food you’d find back in your hometown. It’s a Spanish chain founded in the 1970s that tries to replicate American-style dishes and recipes. Imagine researching a country’s cuisine (which is what Olive Garden is about, to some extent) and then trying your best to recreate it and tailor it for local appetites and palates. Suppose you want to satisfy your curiosity about why Foster’s Hollywood is so beloved by Spanish kids and teens. If that’s the case, I recommend you have their menú del día for lunch so you don’t spend a lot of money on food that may not live up to your expectations.
App/website: App
Points: Yes. You can earn points to advance to different membership levels
How you earn points: Each visit to one of their participating locations is calculated as follows: Breakfast/Merienda (Snack): 80 points and Lunch/Dinner: 200 points
Level breakdown: Bronze (0-800); Silver (801-2,000); Gold (2,000+), with some points subject to expire every few months
Pay attention to the terms and conditions for each promotion and be aware of the minimum spending requirements. They now offer additional promotions with discounts on attractions and experiences throughout Spain on their app with special promo codes.
Note: if you’re under the age of 31 and have your region’s youth card (called the carné jóven) or have a EURO 6000 (seis mil) debit card, you can get 5% off every purchase if you want to use it, but bear in mind that it can’t be combined with any other offers. I’ll discuss youth cards in more detail and share my experiences later on in this post.
2. Starbucks España
(Madrid, July 2023)
As I explained above, Starbucks España broke off from the GRUPO VIPS brand and created location-based apps all around Europe (and most likely globally).
App/website: App
Points: Yes, but they’re called stars
How you earn points: Go to any Starbucks location around Spain, order a drink, breakfast, snack or dessert, and scan your card from the app to earn them.
3. Manolo Bakes
Manolo Bakes is a newer Spanish chain founded in December 2017. It started in the city center of Madrid and has an interconnected history with a small bakery called Pastelería Manolo, and is now owned by footballer Álvaro Morata. They have opened stores throughout Spain, creating cozy, beautifully designed spaces. Expect soft, suede-like chairs and sofas, fake ferns lining the tops of the walls, and high, padded stools. Their real flex? Designated long tables exclusively for laptop work. Each location has a different vibe. One thing I can say is that they all tend to feel like places where you can both get work done or sit back and relax with a warm cup of coffee or tea with a friend or coworker.
If you join their Manolo Bakes Club, you’ll get a free cup of coffee upon sign-up. For your next paid visit, you’ll earn points every time you order at one of their stores or on their website. Their boxes of mini-croissants come in a wide variety of flavors, and the company is known for collaborating with different artists to design specialty box art throughout the year. Valentine’s Day, Mother’s and Father’s Day, Halloween, and Christmas are some of their most notable holidays.
Between my husband and me (we have separate cards), we have unlocked the 2,500, 5,000, and 10,000 point levels on their card. After that, it seems like you go back down to the 2,500 mark and start the climb all over again. We’ve received a few surprises after reaching these levels, such as free breakfasts, a small box of manolitos (their signature mini croissants) or palmitas (like palmeritas, small heart-shaped pastries dipped in chocolate and other flavors).
App/website: Neither, a rewards card that you can save to your Apple or Google Wallet
Points: Yes.
How you earn points: Make a purchase in-store or online, pay, and then tell a worker that you’d like your card scanned. You’ll earn one point for each cent you spend. For example, 3,50 EUR = 350 points.
4. Syra Coffee
Syra Coffee
App/website: App
Points: Yes, but they’re called beans.
How you earn points:
5. McDonald’s (for its McCafé)
App/website: App
Points: Earn points by scanning the app at the machines, registering or redeeming offers
How you earn points:
6. El Club Carrefour
App/website: Website and app
Points: Yes.
How you earn points: You earn a percentage of your spending on each shopping trip. If you’re under 30, but not yet 31, you will get the IVA (sales tax) back from any fresh produce you buy. Each item has tax factored into it and shows up on your receipt at the end of your trip, grouped into percentage categories. The next time you earn rewards and age-related discounts is for those 65+. Families with three (3) or more kids can receive a special discount called the large family discount (descuento por familia numerosa).
7. Too Good to Go (Food Waste Saving App)
Too Good to Go is not exactly a rewards program in Spain. It’s a platform where restaurants, cafés, movie theaters, gyms, hospitals, and other establishments can offer leftover unsold food and combat food waste, one of the growing causes of carbon emissions in cities around the world today. Pet shops have recently been added to the app, at least in Spain, which means our four-legged friends and their owners can also join the movement. Food waste accounts for % of trash in the country, and I’m always aghast when I walk past a table where diners left most of what they ordered on their plates.
App/website: App (no delivery because you must physically go pick up the bags you reserve and pay for on it)
Points: No, but you can receive a 2,50€ voucher off your next bag for every person you invite to download the app and they successfully save a surprise bag.
How it works: Similar to
8. Upcircle Beauty EU
Upcircle Beauty EU
App/website: Website
Points: Yes, but they’re called Planets.
How you earn points: You will earn Planets for each purchase from Upcircle directly, as well as by completing various challenges (such as adding your birth date, filling out your account information, and other related tasks) and by receiving discounts for leaving reviews with before-and-after pictures.
9. Carné Joven/Carné Xove (Madrid and Galicia)
I have lived in and held a youth card for only two regions: Madrid and Galicia. I studied abroad in Sevilla, but I wasn’t there very long. Otherwise, I would’ve applied for and received a card for young people in Andalucía. These cards offer fantastic discounts at restaurants and stores and for tickets to the movies, theater, opera, ballet and concerts, as well as for shopping and more. Nowadays, people don’t use physical cards as much, and apps and digital cards (such as those available for download from the App or Google Play Store) are becoming increasingly popular.
10. Más Renfe & La Tarjeta Joven
Córdoba. August 2019
App/website: Both
Points: Yes, but they’ve been recently rebranded from points to Renfecitos (literally called little Renfes)
How you earn points:
11. ALSA Plus
Spain’s national bus company
App/website: Both.
Points: Yes.
How you earn points:
12. Rodilla
The first time I ever went to a Rodilla café was when I studied in Sevilla and lived in the historic neighborhood of Triana. I was completely clueless about their breakfast deals back in 2010, so I went one afternoon and ordered a smoothie, not really thinking much of it. Unaware that Rodilla is famous for its cold, crustless sandwiches and teas served in see-through mugs (as seen above), I did not visit them often. What made matters more complicated, then, was that I always had breakfast at home, so I didn’t feel the need to go out to have my first meal of the day. I think back to a different version of Spain when brunch didn’t exist at the time and there were no specialty coffee shops.
App/website: App
Points: Called puntos Rodilla
How you earn points: It depends on how much you spend, and points are not 1:1.
13. Roost
I have searched high and low for a chicken sandwich that tastes as good as one from Chick-fil-A around Spain without having to return home. The closest things I’ve found are the chicken Maryland in the UK, and this restaurant, Roost Chicken. They even say it themselves: ¡Viaja a Estados Unidos sin salir de Madrid!
They have a program where you can become a Roost Lover and earn coins from every visit. Your first couple of visits will result in a free dessert and a complimentary appetizer, which we especially enjoyed.
App/website: App
Points: Called Roost coins
How you earn points: You earn one Roost coin per visit and can redeem free appetizers, desserts and a burger along the way, the more you visit.
14. Movie Yelmo
Cines Yelmo in Spain is known for providing great movie theater experiences.
App/website: App
Points: Yes, you can earn
How you earn points:
15. Degusta Box
You can use my code to get 6 euros off your first box
App/website: Website
Points: Yes.
How you earn points: Completing surveys about each box you receive and referring friends to their service will both get you points. Once you earn 150 points or refer two friends, you will be rewarded with a free box!
16. Samplia
App/website: App
Points: No, but they always add lots of different pop-up stores and experiences each week.
How it works:
17. Freshly
App/website: Website
Points: Yes, points are referred to as coins and bonus points are drops
How it works:
18. Good News Coffee
App/website: App
Points: No, but you can get 5% cashback on each purchase you make at any of their shops or kiosks. The amount you earn will be loaded onto a digital wallet card on your phone
How it works:
19. Yves Rocher
App/website: App
Points: Yes, called petals (pétalos)
How it works:
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