Customers are not happy with Starbucks’ new cold cups – here’s why

A TikTok posted on July 16 has sparked outrage from Starbucks fans across the US after it depicts the new paper cold cups.

The TikToker @heybay, who goes by Bay, has posted several videos about the cups since she received one at her local Starbucks in California, and there has been an outcry from frequent iced coffee drinkers.

The cup, which is made entirely of white opaque paper, features a dome lid and the iconic Starbucks logo, but drinkers will no longer be able to see what is inside the cup or make use of a sippy cup lid.

The new cups are very similar to the hot cups that you might get a latte in at Starbucks, and after Starbucks moved to make their plastic cups more sustainable in April, they now look to have axed them all together:

Fans in the comments couldn’t believe what they were seeing, with people pointing out several issues that customers might face with these new cups. The first being, “I like seeing my drink with the clear. especially if it’s a pretty drink.”

When it comes to Starbucks drinks, their Insta-worthiness and aesthetic is a huge part of the appeal. People love posting photos of their cold Starbucks drinks, and with the colorful Refreshas that are always being launched, Starbucks seem to gear their drinks towards how vibrant they look on social media.

On top of this, the TikToker who made the video expressed that her main concern was that the clear cups allowed her to identify easily which drink was hers when they were sitting at the pick-up counter, now, she will have to read the labels to identify her Pink Drink.

Finally, a concern that people had was the use of a dome lid and straw over the sippy cup model that Starbucks have been using for years: “Noooo I hate using straws. I want my sippy cup.”

Apart from the fact that people find paper straws to be impractical, there has been a meme on the internet for a long time that domed lids ruin your coffee’s aesthetic appeal:

Although a lot of people have been complaining about these cups in the comments, some people did see the bright side, noting that these cups would stop condensation running down the cup, and of course, the environmental impact would be great.

“It’s better for the earth and the environment, which in the long-term is a huge win, in my humble opinion.”

If you’re as affronted by this as other people on TikTok, you might not need to worry just yet as people outside of California were noticing that their cups were still made of plastic. This would suggest that California is just a test location, and that these cups aren’t rolling out across the country just yet.