Eliminating Disposable Cups at Cafes

After having visited many cafes nationwide, I’ve noticed that none come to mind that don’t use disposable cups. Many don’t offer anything but disposable cups!

The convenience of being able to take your coffee to go is great, but when sustainability is the goal it’s a questionable practice. Not to mention the elevated experience of enjoying your drink in a mug.

To be fair, the paper cup is not nearly as harmful as the plastic lid. However, I always appreciate when my order is not accompanied by a lid and I have to grab it myself. From asking baristas, the common answer for no mugs is that they take resources to clean and a large amount is required to service everyone throughout the day.

From a profitability standpoint it would be a major blow to not offer takeaway drinks. In my mind, this is the main hurdle in trying to eliminate disposable cups. It’s one thing to invest in more mugs and clean them, but how can someone take a mug to go without spilling their drink and you get it back?

The solution I’ve come up with for now are mason jars with lids. It’s not quite the mug experience and requires establishing trust that a loyal customer will bring it back or be willing to pay a few dollars more to keep it. I do see advantages beyond sustainability though, this could create a stronger bond between the customers and the brand and in turn build community. Curious to hear your thoughts.

Question: In your mind, could mason jars solve this problem? Do you have a better idea? Would you be willing to pay extra for a mason jar or bring it back? Would this help you to feel more connected to the that business?

With love,

Repeaced