Cups you’ll want to takeaway
Giving customers the opportunity to take their fresh coffee away with them in a durable cup is a great way to increase your throughput, but the market for takeaway cups offers a number of different choices, some of which may be far from appropriate for your particular operation.
Regardless as to the materials used, there is a fundamental factor in takeaway cup construction which makes a difference to their performance. Single walled cups are thin, one ply solutions which can hold hot liquids but do not protect the user’s hands during the first few minutes when the temperature of the beverage is at its hottest. This is fine if the customer is going to be sitting down at a table with the cup, but if they are carrying it then a separate cardboard sheath may be required to ensure that it is comfortably and safely portable.
Double walled cups provide an extra layer of protection which helps to insulate the liquid inside, retaining its heat while minimising its impact on the customers’ hands. These are the two obvious advantages of double walled cups, but it is worth bearing in mind that you may well pay more for double walled cups because of their more complex construction.
Alternative takeaway cup types include barrier paper cups, which can, in certain circumstances, protect hands from heat for up to five times longer than basic paper takeaway cups. This prevents the need to give away two lesser cups simultaneously. Alternatively, ripple cups have a textured surface which preserves heat and, again, prevents the cup from becoming uncomfortable to hold.