Starting January 3rd, Starbucks Welcomes Customers’ Personal Cups
By Keemia Zhang
Famed coffee chain Starbucks has become the first coffee retailer in the nation to accept reusable cups for orders placed in the Drive-Thru and on the mobile app.
Beginning January 3rd, customers can use their own clean, reusable, and personal cups to fulfill their drink orders. The change is part of the company’s effort to reduce waste by 50% by the end of the decade. “With the majority of Starbucks beverages enjoyed on the go, this milestone unlocks a big opportunity for customers to choose reusables,” reads the company’s website.
The move follows a successful personal-cup pilot program at 200 drive-thru locations across Colorado. Starbucks is the first national coffeehouse chain to offer customers the usage of their personal cups as part of a “larger cultural movement” led by the company to increase customer convenience, cut the use of single-use plastic, and make the shift toward reuseables.
Michael Kobori, the chain’s Chief Sustainability Officer, remarked, “At Starbucks, we envision a future where every beverage can be served in a reusable cup […] We know our customers are passionate about the planet, and now, they can join us in our efforts to give more than we take, no matter how they order.”
Customers who take part in the effort at participating stores and bring a clean, personal cup will receive a $.10 beverage discount and 35 bonus stars on their mobile app Rewards account for up to three purchases per day. If drinking or dining at the cafe, customers can also request a reusable cup at most stores.
Readers can find out more about the program and its availability on the company’s website.
