Whether you want to offer to-go beverages to customers, or you simply need an inexpensive alternative to glasses and cups, paper cups and plastic cups are the answer. For restaurants, investing in to-go cups can actually increase your profit margins since they allow you to sell more beverages, one of the highest markup items in the industry. Paper cups and plastic cups are also a must-have if your restaurant or café caters to families with children. And, if you run an office, you may want to provide paper cups and plastic cups as a courtesy to employees and clients. When shopping for disposable cups, consider these questions:
Cold cups
Whether you are serving ice-cold soft drinks, smoothies or ice-blended coffees, choose cold cups to fit your needs. Cold cups come in paper and plastic.
I recommend: Cupdepot sells heavy duty disposable plastic cups ideal for soft drinks and beer.
Branders.com sells clear reusable plastic cups that can be customized with your logo.
Zesco Products provides Dispense-Rite in-counter cup dispensers with plastic, foam and paper cups that fit the dispensers.
Plastic Bar Cups offers reusable disposable cups, including plastic bar, beer, cocktail, shot and wine glasses that are perfect for bar service for catered events.
Hot cups
Coffee cups come in many varieties including foam and paper. You can buy pre-insulated coffee cups that don't require a sleeve and are warm to the touch, or you can purchase retro-style coffee cups that have fold out handles built in.
I recommend: Cooks Direct sells foam to-go cups for hot beverages.
Reliable Paper offers Dixie PerfecTouch insulated paper coffee cups that feel warm to the touch and don’t require a sleeve or double cups to protect from hot coffee.
Instawares has a variety of coffee cups with generic coffee designs and fold-out handle coffee cups.
BaristaWorks offers insulated disposable paper cups with a built-in sleeve. For basic paper coffee cups in an office environment, purchase inexpensive paper goods from office supply stores like
Office Depot.
Eco-friendly to-go cups
You can have a clear conscious and know that your company's carbon footprint is minimized if you opt to serve drinks in biodegradable or recyclable to-go cups. Most paper and plastic cups are recyclable and some are made from recyclable materials. The latest technology includes to-go cups that look like clear plastic cups but are made from biodegradable materials.
I recommend: Greenware drink cups from Fabri-Kal are made from corn, look like clear plastic cups and are 100 percent compostable.
Mansfield Paper Company offers biodegradable paper hot cups in 10-, 12- and 16-ounce sizes.
MrTakeOutBags has a selection of coffee cup sleeves that are biodegradable and recyclable.
Custom imprinted paper and plastic cups
If selling beverages is the bread and butter of your business, put your logo on custom imprinted to-go cups.
I recommend: Absorbent Ink can screen-print or offset-print your logo onto paper cups in four-, six-, eight-, 12-, 16- and 20-ounce sizes.
TheDiscountPrinter.com offers imprinted to-go cups that are coated inside for use with either hot or cold beverages.
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