Starbucks is a chain of coffee houses that originated in the United States. There are now over 37 000 Starbucks stores in over 80 countries worldwide.
One of the largest branding initiatives the brand takes part in is Starbucks Red Cup Day, which we will be looking at in depth in this article.
Let us Take a Deeper Look at Starbucks Red Cup Day
What Day is Starbucks Red Cup Day?
Every year, Starbucks celebrates Red Cup Day to welcome the winter. It is Starbucks’ largest branding outreach day of the year and has been celebrated by the brand for 5 years. For 2022, Red Cup Day was held on November 17th, with most of the annual events occurring in early to mid-November.
What does Starbucks Red Cup Day Mean?
On Red Cup Day, Starbucks hands out free reusable red coffee cups to customers which they can use throughout the holiday season. These coffee cups are a limited-edition option and are only available for one day a year (on Red Cup Day). They can hold up to 16 US fluid ounces of your chosen beverage.
There is an option for customers to receive this cup whether they order in-store, via Starbucks Delivery, or on the Starbucks app. However, the stock is limited so if you do not receive one, unfortunately, you will have to wait until the next year.
How do you get a Red Cup from Starbucks?
To qualify for the event, you need to order a holiday drink or handcrafted fall drink. This will allow you to receive the Red Cup for free (if stock is available). With the fall drinks, however, many of them will be retired soon to make way for holiday drinks instead.
What Drinks Qualify for Red Cup Day?
There are 14 drinks that will be available to order on the day that will qualify for a Red Cup. These include four lattes, namely the Caramel Brulé Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, Pumpkin Spice Latte, and Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte.
Toasted White Hot Chocolate, Peppermint White Hot Chocolate, White Hot Chocolate, Peppermint Hot Chocolate, and ordinary Hot Chocolate also qualify. Next are two cold brews, the Irish Cream Cold Brew, and the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew.
Another drink you could order to receive the reusable cup is the Apple Crisp Oat Milk Macchiato. Finally, there is a Peppermint Mocha and a Toasted White Chocolate Mocha available if you are looking for a beverage with coffee and chocolate tasting notes.
What Benefits are there with Red Cup Day?
Customers who purchase a coffee on this day and receive a free Red Cup can rest assured that each cup is made from 50% recycled material. Further benefits of this initiative are that when you take the cup into Starbucks to get your next caffeine fix, you can receive a 10-cent discount on your beverage.
You can also receive 25 bonus stars for Starbucks Rewards when you use the reusable cup and use the Starbucks app.
Which Starbucks Stores are Participating in Red Cup Day?
To find out if your local Starbucks store is participating in Red Cup Day, check the store locator on the Starbucks website or app. Each store that is participating will have Red Cups available, only if stocks last.
They each receive a limited amount so to ensure you receive this cup you may need to get there early.
Can you Customize Any of the Drinks Ordered on Red Cup Day?
You have a choice to customize how your drink is made, whether it is hot, iced, or blended (where the ice is crushed). Another choice you can make is the type of milk used in your coffee including plant-based options. These include whole milk, non-fat milk, 2% milk, almond milk, soy milk, and coconut milk.
As the cup can hold only 16 US fluid ounces (a Grande), you cannot order a drink larger than that, but you may request a smaller drink.
As with normal days, you can choose to have Starbucks flavored syrups added or removed from your dink although any of the official drinks on the list already have their syrups suggested.
Starbucks Red Cup Day – Conclusion
Red Cup Day, having been celebrated for 5 years is an event that most Starbucks lovers look forward to. The cups can hold the same amount of your chosen beverage as a Grande (16 ounces) and can be reused for the rest of the festive season and into the new year customers.
There are benefits to customers in that they can receive discounts and bonus stars when using this cup, as well as a sustainable benefit in that each cup is made with 50% recycled material. This reduces the impact of ordering coffee on the environment as it encourages using reusable cups rather than disposable ones.
