Starbucks Makes Major Change for Customers Ordering at the Drive-Thru

Starbucks cup

Starbucks just announced a big change for the drive-thru, stating that customers can now bring a personal reusable cup to hold their drink, nabbing a 10-cent discount along with it.

Chief sustainability officer at Starbucks, Michael Kobori, said of the decision in a press release, “Offering customers more options to use a personal cup when they visit Starbucks marks tangible progress towards the future. 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."

The new policy started on Jan. 3—making them the first nationwide coffee retailer to accept reusable cups for mobile orderers—and will be active at locations in the U.S. and Canada. Starbucks noted that locations within other stores like Target or Barnes & Noble will vary with whether or not they allow personal cups at all. Along with the 10-cent discount, U.S.-based Starbucks Rewards members will also get 25 points in their account.

Many fans are debating the big news and whether or not it's a good idea logistically, with one person writing, "Okay but how can that possibly work for drive through and mobile orders without causing huge delays?"

Regarding how the process will work, Starbucks explained that customers will tell the barista they are using a reusable cup while ordering, before giving a staff member the cup at the pickup window. They will then return the cup with your drink order in it.

Someone claiming to work at Starbucks shared that when customers bring in reusable cups to use, baristas make the drink in one of the store's cups, likely metal, and transfer it into the customer's cup once they get there, which means it won't necessarily cause many delays.

Another factor that is being heavily debated is the sanitariness of using reusable cups. Someone wrote, "This is …unsanitary??!???" before another person brought up how cafes have used personal cups for decades, including Starbucks, which started allowing them in-store in the 1980s.

Whether or not you're a fan of the new policy, customers now have a new, more sustainable option for how to get their favorite Starbucks drink on the go. And now, you also have an excuse to use all of your fancy tumblers!

Next: Starbucks’ Most Contentious Menu Item Returning in January