In a significant shift towards sustainability, Starbucks has rolled out the option for customers to use their personal reusable cups for drive-thru and mobile app orders at its company-owned and licensed U.S. and Canada locations. This addition marks a considerable step in the coffee giant’s ongoing efforts to minimize its environmental footprint and work towards a 50% reduction in waste by 2030.
The new policy, which began this past Wednesday, allows customers to signal to baristas that they have brought their own clean mug during the drive-thru ordering process. Upon reaching the pickup window, a “contactless vessel” is used to ensure hygiene and safety as the personal cup is filled with their beverage. For those placing orders through the Starbucks app, a “personal cup” option can be selected under the “customization” settings. Once the order is placed, the customer will bring their mug to the store’s pickup area, where the barista will prepare the drink in a larger container with “standardized lines [employees] need for measurements” before pouring it into the customer’s personal cup.
However, customers are reminded of two stipulations: their cups must be pre-cleaned, as baristas won’t rinse them out, and the cups should not exceed 40 ounces in size.
This expansion is significant as drive-thru and app orders together constitute approximately 70% of sales at Starbucks’ US stores, with both options gaining popularity, especially since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
To incentivize customers to participate, Starbucks offers a 10-cent discount and 25 stars for members of the chain’s rewards program each time they use a personal cup. The expansion is currently active at company-owned and licensed locations in the US and Canada but is not applicable to drinks ordered through third-party apps like DoorDash or Uber Eats.
According to a press release from Starbucks, these changes are “part of a larger cultural movement the company is leading to shift toward reusables and away from single-use plastics, making it convenient for customers to use their own personal cup for every visit.”
Starbucks has explored sustainable initiatives, including a borrow-a-cup program where customers pay a deposit for a reusable cup, tested in locations such as Seattle with a smart bin for cup returns. Despite challenges, such as potential taste alterations in complex drinks, the company aims to expand its reusable cup program. To address taste concerns, Starbucks ensures customization by informing baristas of the desired size, and drinks are initially made in a standardized container before being poured into the customer’s personal cup. The company remains mindful of not overburdening employees already handling fast-paced, customized orders and navigating unionization efforts at certain locations.
Relevant articles:
– Starbucks will now let customers use personal cups for nearly all orders | CNN Business
– Starbucks’ iconic coffee cup has a climate problem as mobile, drive-thru orders boom