Black Rock Coffee Bar

Black Rock Coffee Bar for Android is a mobile ordering and rewards system. Black Rock Coffee Bar started in Oregon and has become a chain stretching across several states. The app is meant to do away with the coffee shop bottleneck by enabling customers to buy ahead, cut lines and earn points — or "bolts" in its case.

Decent rewards system that pays out

The loyalty system uses a simple formula: For every dollar spent, the customer receives two bolts, and 200 bolts get you any free drink size. New members will enjoy a welcome free medium drink with sign-up and another free medium drink on their birthday when they include their birth date during sign-up. That math comes out to something like $100 in purchases to earn a free drink, which is competitive with other coffee chain programs. Besides earning points, the app manages gift cards and balance checking while also enabling the sending of eGifts for digital gifts. The store locator function shows nearby Black Rock locations along with hours and directions, while order history helps users reorder favorite combinations faster. Members can also process direct payments through the app in the store, also earning bolts on those transactions.

Ordering mechanics

Customization includes selecting milks and syrups, temperature and then adding all the fixings before selecting pickup times. Orders sync with store systems, and pickup notifications let you know when your drinks are ready. The app also connects to third-party delivery services in places that have it.

Performance bumps and user bottlenecks

There are many user reports of loading problems, with the app hanging commonly on a load screen or having difficulty submitting orders. Checkouts can lose their session midway through and require users to start them again, which could result in a loss of personalization. Bolts expire after 180 days of being inactive, and the rewards earned will disappear after 60 days, so it's a way to ensure regular app usage. For everyday Black Rock goers who like to skip lines and earn free drinks, it's a useful app. Some may find loading issues are too disruptive to a morning routine that demands mobile reliability, but rewards accumulation offers clear incentives to dedicated patrons who can put up with glitches.