Coffee Cup Takeaway Station: Setting Up Your Coffee Bar

To set up a takeaway coffee cup station that runs fast with fewer mistakes, stack cups by size in the order baristas reach for them, keep lids grouped by rim size (80mm and 90mm), and put carry trays right where orders are handed over. Using "One Lid Fits All" cups for a size cuts down on lid mix-ups at the busiest point of the bar.

Key takeaways

• Stack cups left to right by size, smallest to largest, and keep that order every shift.
• Keep 80mm and 90mm lids in separate, labelled spots, never in one shared bin.
• "One Lid Fits All" cups are available in 8oz, in both single wall and double wall.
• Carry trays belong at the pickup point, not at the espresso machine.
• Reorder by the carton before a size runs out, so the layout never has a gap.

How should I arrange takeaway cups on the coffee bar?

Arrange cups in one fixed line by size, smallest to largest, within arm's reach of the espresso machine. When every barista knows the 6oz stack is always on the left and the 16oz stack is always on the right, they grab the right cup without reading the side of it.

A practical line-up for most cafés:

1. 6oz for piccolos and small flat whites, such as the 6oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Single Wall Art Print 80mm (Carton of 1000).

2. 8oz for the standard regular size.

3. 12oz for large coffees, such as the 12oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print 90mm (Carton of 500).

4. 16oz for extra-large serves, such as the 16oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print (Carton of 500).

If you run both single wall (SW) and double wall (DW) cups in the same size, give each its own stack and keep them in the same order every day.

Why keep lids grouped by rim size?

Lids only fit the rim they were made for, so a lid bin that mixes 80mm and 90mm lids slows every order while staff try one, then the other. Keep each rim size in its own labelled spot, directly next to the cups it fits.

In this range, the rim size is printed in some product names. The 6oz cups are listed at 80mm, and the 12oz art print and kraft cups (single wall and double wall) are listed at 90mm. Put the 80mm lids beside the 6oz stack and the 90mm lids beside the 12oz stack, so a barista's hand moves from cup to lid in one short step. For 8oz and 16oz cups, and the plain white 12oz cups, check the product page for the matching lid before you set up the bar, and label that spot clearly. Our guide to takeaway coffee cup lids covers lid styles in more detail.

What does "One Lid Fits All" mean for a busy bar?

As the name suggests, "One Lid Fits All" cups are meant to share a common lid, which can mean fewer lid types to stock and fewer chances to grab the wrong one. That suits small bars and food trucks with limited bench space.

Two 8oz options carry this name:

• 8oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print One Lid Fits All (Carton of 500), $68.83 per carton, $0.14 each.
• 8oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Single Wall Art Print One Lid Fits All (Carton of 1000), $116.09 per carton, $0.12 each.

Confirm the lid range on the product page before you switch, so you order the right lids alongside.

How do I compare cups for the station?

Compare cups by size, wall type, carton quantity and price per item, then pick one cup per size slot. The table below lists cups from the coffee cups range that suit a standard four-size bar.

Each product page shows the carton price and price per item, so you can check the same figures when you reorder.

Where should carry trays go?

Carry trays go at the handover point, where finished drinks are called and collected. That way the barista keeps pouring while whoever is on pickup drops multi-cup orders into a tray and hands them over.

The Coffee Cups – 4 Egg Board Carry Tray (Carton of 300) is made from recycled paper, measures 225x225x50mm and costs $46.18 per carton, $0.15 each. Keep a short stack at the pickup shelf and the rest under the bench.

Which one should I buy?

Choose one cup per size slot, based on how your venue runs:

• Small café or food truck with tight bench space: use the 8oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Single Wall Art Print One Lid Fits All (Carton of 1000) as your main size to keep lid types to a minimum, with the 6oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Single Wall Art Print 80mm (Carton of 1000) beside it for small serves.
• Busy café running four sizes: run 6oz, 8oz, 12oz and 16oz in a fixed line, with the 12oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print 90mm (Carton of 500) and the 16oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print (Carton of 500) at the large end.
• Venues that want a kraft look on large coffees: the 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm (Carton of 1000) is PLA-coated paper in brown and shares the 90mm listing with the other 12oz cups.
• Office runs and group orders: add the Coffee Cups – 4 Egg Board Carry Tray (Carton of 300) at the pickup shelf.

Some cups in the range can be custom printed with your logo; see custom printing for details. For a broader look at buying cups by the carton, read our guide to coffee cups wholesale.

How does ordering work?

Everything is sold by the carton, and there is no minimum order. Delivery is a flat fee set by your postcode, and free once an order passes a set amount; checkout shows the exact cost, and today's rates are on the shipping page. Delivery takes 3–5 business days to capital cities and 4–6 business days regional. All orders are prepaid online. Damaged or faulty items are replaced or refunded free; unopened stock cartons can be returned within 7 days of delivery (10% restocking fee, return delivery at your cost). To restock several cup sizes at once, use quick order.

See also: coffee cups with lids: which lid fits which cup size, priced per cup + lid.

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