# Bring your Own Coffee Cup



## Glenn

How do you react to clients who bring their own cups in to your cafe?

Aimee Nathan, a Harrow local aims to introduce the trend to more and more cafe-goers.

Check out her 'battle' here

Do you offer a discount to those why bring their own coffee cup?


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## Glenn

Well, since Aimee seems to have gone to ground... take a look at KeepCup and see what new product has recently hit the market in the UK.

A number of cafes in London are selling KeepCups and some even offer a discount to those who bring their own cup.

I've had a chance to get up close with these and they are great, retaining the heat effectively and they are also very easy to clean.

We'll be posting a full review soon...


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## BanishInstant

Not the most attractive cup, but better looking than some of the mugs given out by IT companies!

I'm not sure what my local baristas would think if I handed one over


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## Glenn

Try it - the only way to reduce landfill waste is to be proactive

Let us know what the outcome is


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## DailyShotOfCoffee

Interesting cup! I like the idea a lot, I think it looks pretty cool (once I realized that I could change the colors), but I wonder how the material would affect the taste.


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## BanishInstant

I chickened out today









I went for a coffee at lunchtime and was about to ask what the barista would think if I had brought my own cup. But then I thought I might look like a complete idiot.


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## LeeWardle

I'd love it if someone brought me thier own cup! Of course the only thing from a business point of view is the differeing sizes. You can't give a discount for using thier own cup of they usually buy a 6oz flat white and want to fill a 12oz cup! It would have to be one that you boughtand branded and then sold through your store.

Great idea!


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## AntonyO

Just thought I'd give a bit of info onto a nearly dead thread..

At Starbucks they give a 25p[?] discount to anyone who brings in their own mug, for either takeaway or stay-in. I wouldn't say its a regular occurance.. But occasionally we get the odd person coming in with a T/O cup.

As you probably know, Sbux do offer pernament T/O cups, which are generally expensive, and [in most stores] only have the small [Tall] size avaliable. These are all marked proudly with the Sbux logo, and therefore would only be suited to regular Sbux Takeawayers, as they would probably never dream of using them in another store!

But, I do like the idea of that KeepCup, and the fact it is customisable.. if they were on the market here in the UK, maybe I would think about buying it to replace my current Tall Sbux one?

-Antony


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## LeeWardle

You can buy the sbux style ones from various places but again they are quite expensive. There are loads of cheap ones on the Market(usuLly found at petrol stations and services) but the quality is poor, they don't really have a vacum and for some stupid reason have a sliding sip hole so all the coffee gets caught user this and male for an impossible to clean lid. Which is just stupid. Stupid I say!!!

I have a tallish Ali and rubber one with just a black plastic lid like an upside down bowl and a largeish sip hole. This was about £12.

The main problem with stores selling them is that for a branded cup you would need to buy at least one pallet and most places don't have the facilities to store/accept one or can plump for that sort of outlay from a cash flow point of view. One of my local places used to sell the cheaper ones for £5 including free fill. But due to the uneAse of cleaning made them impractical and users soon found it easier to use a takeaway solo.

Lee


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## coffeeman

I've got one of the keep cups and I've gotta say they are fantastic. I use it most days BUTas yet I've not had the confidence to ask my local store to fill it up. one of the good things with the keep cup is it's got measurements on the inside for 10oz etc.

I think we probably all need to start doing it and asking our customers to do it? and try to get the chains offering it but I guess for small independents this is one of many ways we can stand out from the chains.


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## Glenn

Bahar and Stuart are looking for stockists so feel free to contact them as your type of operation lends itself well to the Keepcup and helps with your green credentials.

Let me know if you need their contact details at all


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## LeeWardle

I guess you're talking to me Glenn. I have emailed opp's but they havn't replied. If you could PM me the details I can email them again with prices etc. Might be more inclined to tial it in MY store then.

Regards

Lee


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## Caffe44Pembs

I quite like the idea of a 'bring your own mug.'

I don't think our cafe would run it everyday. Maybe a weekly promotion once a month.

When we first opened I recommended it as there has never been that sort of promotion in my town and I thought it might spark a bit of interest but the idea wasn't well received and it wasn't understood how it would increase interest and footfall in the cafe. But there you go - you win some you loose some


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## forzajuve

My friend owns Doppio Espresso in Holland and they have their own branded keep cups. People do use them and of course it spreads the word on the street as people walk out with them. They have less of a throw away culture over there though and the big chains do not have such a dominant presence. A great idea though to build brand awareness and loyalty.


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## Cassia

I really like the idea, it's fun and of course better for the environment in the long run









Allot of coffee shops have their own special coffee cups that you can buy to use! It's awesome! Great idea!


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## carbonkid85

I bought my keep cup from Small Batch in Brighton. I've used it in Fernandez and Wells and also in Monmouth. In fact, Monmouth thought it was fab!

Keep cups are standard cup sizes too which means it's possible for a cafe to keep control of margins. If you look inside the larger ones, there's even a line which marks smaller cup sizes.


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## shrink

i bought a 12oz keep cup from castello coffee in Edinburgh. I get a small discount for using it, i got a free drink when buying it, and they still give me drinks stamps!

i guess its a nice way to encourage cutting down on waste. I just rinse it out at work when im done and put it back in my bag, then its good for the next morning!


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## johnnied

I work in a large corporate business building, we do take away cups only, and just to add to it we don't offer discount for those who do bring there own cups. But we do promote bringing your own cup, and we try to make a bit more of a fuss about customers who do and let them know they are doing the right thing and helping the planet out little by little, and we also sell reusable thermos cups. Theres room for improvement definately! but im working on it


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## Coffee Is Art

A cafe I frequent in Edinburgh when in the city charges either 25p or 30p on top of their list prices for using a takeaway cup. I appauld any cafe that encourages people to bring their own cups, and have no problem with a cafe charging for disposable cups, espacially if they have a large amount of daily customers using a disposable cup everyday, BUT it should not be a money making exercise. Either charge an amount to simply cover the costs of the cup, or if you are going to charge above this then perhaps donate the rest of the money to charity. This would encourage people to either start bringing their own cup OR more accepting of the charge.


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## shrink

Most of the edinburgh coffee shops I frequent are happy to take my keep cup. And some offer discounts for using it. Castello certainly do, and razzo are happy to take the keep cup. Artisan would be too I imagine, since they sell them


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## martinlauren1968

I personally think keep cups are a brilliant idea, i think a 5% or 10% discount is a must for customers that use them, especially in this day and age where everything is about being green, no only does it make sense, but could bring some brilliant advertising opportunities.


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## seeq

For independent shops I think it's a nice idea. I can't see the chains really taking to it too much though. People walking around with costa/Starbucks paper cups is good cheap advertising.


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