Types of Coffee Cups – The 101 Buying Guide
The secret to enhancing your customer experience can be as simple as providing them with the right cups. The wrong types of coffee cups can significantly detract from the coffee's taste and overall enjoyment. For example, serving a flat white in a cup designed for larger coffees like lattes can leave your customers feeling gypped, leading to a negative experience.
Matching a coffee order to a takeaway cup of the right size is not just about customer satisfaction; it's also a smart business move. It can save costs by reducing waste and, in turn, your carbon footprint. Environmentally conscious brands not only attract more customers but also save money.
Choosing the right cups can be tricky, but don't worry — we've written a comprehensive guide to answer all of your cup-related questions.
Why Choosing the Right Type of Coffee Cup Matters?
Even the best coffee may fall short in terms of sales if the packaging and market perception does not match the quality of the product. This is where the type and quality of the coffee cup matters, and here’s why. Understanding the importance of the right coffee cups for your business can empower you to make informed decisions that can significantly impact your sales and customer satisfaction.
Impact on Customer Experience
Customer satisfaction and a positive coffee-drinking experience are significant factors in a brand’s success. Choosing coffee cups with comfortable designs that attract your target audience and give the right initial perception of your store ensures your customers hold their cups, enjoy their drinks, and easily carry them along.
Influence on Brand Perception
The right coffee cups for your coffee shop, especially those customized to match your brand, help dictate the brand’s perception. By choosing the right cups, you can confidently shape how your
- Brand Identity and Differentiation: Get customized paper and plastic cups for your coffee shop that showcase your brand’s vibe. From options with multiple splashes of color to those with minimalist designs, these customized coffee cups will give the perfect first impression.
- Marketing and Visibility: Coffee cups are more than just vessels to serve your beverages. Most disposable coffee cups can also double as marketing tools to showcase your brand, increase visibility, and create more brand awareness as your customers take the cups away.
- Perceived Quality: Using sturdy, high-quality products that do not get soggy quickly can give your customers a premium coffee-drinking experience. At the same time, it gives the impression that your brand values quality over all else, so the products you are selling are also of the highest quality.
Environmental Considerations
Thinking about sustainability can improve your corporate social responsibility profile. Offering different types of coffee cups for different types of coffee helps reduce waste. Choosing biodegradable coffee cup types ensures that your brand is doing its duty towards protecting the environment, which will draw more customers who align with the same goal.
Recyclable Coffee Cups vs Reusable Coffee Cups
Choosing between recyclable and reusable coffee cups depends on your business type. Brick-and-mortar stores might support a washing station for reusable cups, while coffee carts or businesses with limited seating should opt for recyclable cups.
Reusable cups need 20 to 1,000 uses to offset the environmental impact of single-use cups and involve more cleaning, which can increase the risk of cross-contamination. On the other hand, recyclable cups require minimal maintenance, are less resource-intensive, and save space in storage.
Recyclable cups use far fewer resources than reusable ones. They require no cleaning or maintenance, only storage, and they take up less space. The hot cup lids for recyclable cups are designed to be user-friendly and recyclable, adding to their convenience and sustainability. Choosing recyclable cups shows your commitment to environmental responsibility and encourages your customers to make eco-friendly choices.
Types of Disposable Coffee Cups
Disposable coffee cups come in various materials, sizes, and styles. The different types of cup materials also significantly affect their quality and durability. Here are some distinct types of disposable coffee cups:
Paper Cups
One of the most noteworthy milestones in the history of disposable cups is the invention of the paper cup in the early 20th century. The initial cups were made of a single piece of paper coated with wax, making them waterproof. These have since evolved into three distinct types of paper cups.
- Ripple Wrap Paper Cups: Similar to double-walled coffee cups, ripple wrap cups have an outer wall with a rippled texture that gives you a comfortable grip and adds insulation. These cups are popular among premium cafes and coffee shops.
- Single-Wall Paper Cups: Single-wall paper cups are some of the most common types of coffee cups. They can hold hot and cold beverages like espressos, cappuccinos, lattes, and iced coffees. These custom single-wall hot cups feature a layer of polyethylene, which makes them waterproof.
- Double-Wall Paper Cups: Double-wall paper cups are designed for hot beverages. The two walls provide an extra layer of insulation that helps keep your drinks warm while reducing the risk of burning your hands. These custom double-wall hot cups have excellent heat retention and are perfect for hot chocolate, coffee, or other hot beverages.
Plastic Cups
Plastic cups are a durable and versatile option for hot and cold beverages. However, plastic has a prominent environmental impact that can be cause of concern.
- PET cups: These cups are commonly used for cold beverages. They are made with lightweight, clear materials that are perfect for displaying the colors of your drinks. This type of coffee cup uses recyclable plastic, which makes it an environmentally friendly option compared to other types of plastic. On the other hand, polypropylene (PE) cups can be used for hot and cold beverages. They offer excellent heat resistance, essential when serving hot drinks like tea, coffee, and soups. They can also withstand the high temperatures associated with these drinks.
- Polypropylene Cups: Polypropylene (PE) cups can be used for hot and cold beverages. They offer excellent heat resistance, essential when serving hot drinks like tea, coffee, and soups. They can also withstand the high temperatures associated with these drinks.
- Polylactic Acid Cups: These are a biodegradable type of coffee cup made with plant-based materials like cornstarch. However, due to their heat resistance and durability, they are limited in use.
Foam Cups
Another type of coffee cup introduced along with plastic, foam cups are lightweight and insulating, making them a popular choice.
- Styrofoam Cups: Made with expanded polystyrene, these types of coffee cups are valued for their insulation properties, making them more popular for hot beverages. However, their environmental impact and resistance to decomposition make them an undesirable choice.
- Biodegradable Foam Cups: Biodegradable foam cups break down quickly, negating the environmental impact of traditional Styrofoam cups. They offer a compromise between eco-friendliness and insulation.
Who is Suitable to Use Paper Coffee Cups?
Paper coffee cups are a suitable type of coffee cup for individuals offering food and beverage services such as:
Coffee Shop Owners
If you own a coffee shop, especially at the beginning of your store journey, paper coffee cups are the way to go. These are budget-friendly options and do not take up too much space. Paper coffee cups also offer customization options at nominal prices suitable for business branding, creating a unique packaging solution that ensures customers remember your brand.
Café Owners
If you own a café or plan on starting your café, paper coffee cups are a sensible choice. Paper coffee cups are a versatile choice that can suit your business requirements, as you can use them to serve hot and cold beverages. Paper coffee cups come in hot and cold cups for the two beverages. Double-walled cups are slightly higher in rate but are perfect for hot drinks as the extra insulation helps your customers hold the cups without needing a coffee sleeve or hurting the hand.
Restaurant Owners
Public restaurants can also benefit from paper cups, even if their main focus is food. Most restaurants today offer innovative drinks that pair perfectly with the restaurant’s theme. Paper cups can be used for takeaway orders during rush hour or when washing reusable cups is not feasible. Using paper cups also allows customers to take their drink with them if they cannot finish it during the meal. You can also opt for customized paper cups that feature your brand’s name and logo to enhance your brand image; these also work as free advertising tools as your customers carry their drink to their workplace, home, or wherever they go.
How to Choose the Right Coffee Cup for Your Café?
Different businesses will have different needs, so you must choose the right type of coffee cup for your business. Here are a few factors to remember when choosing disposable coffee cups for your café.
Understand Your Menu
The nature of the drinks that are a permanent feature on your menu should dictate the coffee cups you invest in. When serving hot beverages, it is best to choose a type of coffee cup that offers insulation to protect your customers’ hands and offer greater heat retention for the drink. On the other hand, cold beverages will need to be served in more durable cups, as the cup will need to hold itself even with condensation.
Material Consideration
When choosing disposable coffee cups for your restaurant, you can choose from foam, plastic, and paper options. Foam is a good insulator that keeps the drinks warm but is not environmentally sustainable. Eco-friendly plastic options are a great choice if you want a durable coffee cup, especially for cold beverages. Paper is one of the most commonly used coffee cups, as it can sustain heat without harming the environment.
Size Variety
If your establishment offers a variety of drinks in different sizes, you will need to invest in coffee cups accordingly. Here is a list of available cup sizes and which drinks they are most suited for.
- 4 oz: These are best for smaller drinks such as espressos, double espressos, cappuccinos, cortados, and macchiatos.
- 8 oz: This coffee cup can be used for americano, flat white, latte, long black, and mocha coffees.
- 12 oz: Medium-sized cups used for chai lattes, tea, café au lait, and larger lattes.
- 16 oz: These coffee cups are best suited for cold beverages such as iced coffees, iced tea, chai latte, café au lait.
- 20 oz: This is the largest cup and is most often used for cold beverages.
Insulation and Comfort
Insulation keeps the drink warm for longer, while a comfortable cup improves the drinking experience. Based on this factor, you can choose from three different types of paper coffee cups.
Single-wall paper cups are ideal for serving hot and cold beverages; however, you may also have to invest in hot cup sleeves to protect your customer’s hand from the drink’s heat. Double-walled coffee cups contain two layers of paper, creating an insulating layer that protects your customer’s hands from the heat of the beverage. Lastly, ripple and spiral wall cups use their corrugated walls to offer a comfortable grip and insulation to enjoy your drinks on the go.
Cost and Supply
The cost of the coffee cup also plays a significant role in your decision, especially if you are on a budget. While you can save a lot of money by buying cups in bulk, you need to ensure the cups you purchase are of good quality and will not get soggy when used. Cheaper cups, although more affordable, will not provide the same insulation and durability as more premium options.
Local Regulations
Along with country-wide regulations, each state may also have rules regarding homeware or materials that come in contact with food. Research and find out what your local laws say about using disposable coffee cups before choosing the right one for your business.
Storage and Space
Disposable cups are relatively easy to store as they can be stacked and stored when unused. This is impossible when using reusable cups, making disposable coffee cups more space-efficient. Investing in only those sizes you use often can create an efficient storage solution for your business.
What are the Best Types of Paper Coffee Cups?
The type of paper used to make coffee cups dictates their quality. Lower-quality paper cups can be used for quick sips of water or around the house. However, when investing in disposable coffee cups for your café or restaurant, it is best to choose premium-quality cups to give your customers a better impression of your brand. Disposable paper cups come in three main types. Uncoated: You get multiple uncoated paper cups that are the least expensive. However, the lack of coating can result in a soggy mess if used longer. Additionally, there is no single 'best' option, as the choice depends on the specific requirements of your business.
Coated: Coated cups, although slightly more expensive, are usually more durable and attractive.
Specialty-coated cups give you the best of both worlds regarding durability and cost.
Some of the best choices for paper coffee cups are those made of cellulose paper and have a biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) coating. These different types of coffee cups are ideal for hot and cold beverages, as the PLA coating protects the paper base from getting soaked and acts as a sealant for the seams of the cups.
Customize Your Coffee Cups with Hot Cup Factory
A coffee cup that proudly features your brand’s name and logo is a form of free advertising as many potential customers see it. These customers can be friends, family, coworkers, or someone walking the streets. With our customization option, you can turn your products into mobile advertisements. Choose coffee cups in colors that resonate with your brand and strategically add your brand name and logo along with bespoke designs to attract your customers. Hot Cup Factory’s Custom Cups offer a great way to achieve this. Customized coffee cups help create a feeling of loyalty to your brand, building a customer base that keeps returning for their caffeine fix.
Bottom Line
The right type of coffee cup is essential for your business. Although it seems like a minor decision, this can impact the customer’s experience and, in turn, whether or not they return to your establishment. By offering your customers a more comprehensive range of sizes and types, you will be able to meet all of your customer’s high expectations while aligning with your brand values. Attractive customized coffee cups that portray your brand’s story allow you to give your customers quality in both the coffee you serve and the cup you serve it in.