Starbucks said Wednesday that customers at all company-operated and participating licensed Starbucks Stores across the U.S. and Canada can use a clean, personal cup when ordering in the cafe, at the drive-through, or when ordering ahead with the Starbucks app.
Starbucks said its decision supports its commitment to reduce waste by 50 percent by 2030.
“At Starbucks, we envision a future where every beverage can be served in a reusable cup,” said Michael Kobori, Starbucks chief sustainability officer, in a statement. “Offering customers more options to use a personal cup when they visit Starbucks marks tangible progress towards the future.”
Starbucks is the first national coffeehouse in the U.S. to offer customers the option to use their personal cup when mobile ordering. In Canada, Starbucks is the first to offer customers the option to use their cups in mobile order for all drinks and sizes. This is part of a larger cultural movement the company is leading to a shift toward reusables and away from single-use plastics, noted Starbucks.
“Bringing your own cup to stores is a critical step toward reducing single-use packaging waste. Starbucks is a leader in this work, as the first national retailer of scale to offer personal cup ordering in every channel, including mobile order,” said Kate Daly, managing director and head of the center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners, in a statement. “The NextGen Consortium is proud to have Starbucks as a founding member of the Consortium to reduce packaging waste and looks forward to supporting Starbucks in their work to advance a waste-free world.”
Customers who bring a clean, personal cup will receive a $0.10 discount on their beverage; in the U.S. Starbucks Rewards members will receive additional benefits. Customers can take advantage of the service in the following ways:
• When in-store, customers tell the barista when they order that they brought their own personal cup and hand over their cup to the barista.
• At the drive-through, while ordering, customers let the barista know they brought their own cup when ordering. At the pickup window, baristas will collect customers’ cup without the lid using a contactless vessel to ensure hygiene and safety.
• When customers order via the Starbucks app, first they will hit the “Customization” button and then select “Personal Cup” in the customization menu and continue ordering as normal. When they get to the store, customers connect with their barista at the pickup area and hand over their clean personal cup.
Related: Where Food Comes From Acquires Upcycled Certified Program; California Animal Treatment Law Goes Into Effect