To cut back on waste, Starbucks is now offering customers the option to use their own cups, according to the company. While they have long allowed dine-in customers the option, the latest announcement means drive-thru patrons will also have the choice of using their personal mug.
The new initiative, which began this week, allows customers to have their drink of choice poured into their own cup, provided it is clean.
“Offering customers more options to use a personal cup when they visit Starbucks marks tangible progress towards the future,” said Starbucks chief sustainability officer Michael Kobori in a statement, according to CBS News.
To use the service, Starbucks said customers should mention their preference when ordering at the drive-thru. At the window, a barista will collect the cup using a “contactless vessel” before returning it to the customer with their beverage of choice. Customers will receive a 10-cent discount or 25 Starbucks Rewards Bonus Stars at participating stores when choosing the option.
Less than 1% of paper recycling mills in the U.S. can process plastic-coasted cups like the ones used by Starbucks. Each year, it is estimated that 50 billion cups end up in landfills across the country.
For their part, Starbucks has set a goal to cut its waste production in half by the end of the decade.
