Custom Takeaway Coffee Cups: Which Sizes to Brand First

For custom takeaway coffee cups, brand the one or two sizes your café sells the most and keep the slower sizes plain. Your own sales by cup size tell you which ones those are, so pull that report before you ask for a print quote.

Key takeaways

• Count takeaway cups sold by size from your POS or your last few cup orders before you choose what to print.
• Brand your top seller first. Add a second branded size only if it also moves steadily.
• Keep slow sizes in plain stock cups: a printed carton that sits in storage does nothing for your brand.
• Every cup in the comparison below (6oz, 8oz, 12oz, 16oz and 20oz) is listed as available for custom printing.
• For print pricing and artwork, send your sizes through custom print or contact us for a quote.

Which cup sizes should I customise first?

Customise the size that leaves your counter most often, then stop and check whether a second size earns a place. That usually leaves one or two sizes printed with the logo and the rest plain.

A printed cup only works as marketing when it is in a customer's hand on the street, so the size that goes out the door most is the one that carries your name furthest. A printed size that sells slowly ties up cash and shelf space, and you will still be using that carton long after you want to change the design.

How do I use my own sales to pick the sizes?

Pull a few recent weeks of takeaway sales by cup size and rank the sizes from most to least sold. If your POS does not split by size, count the cartons of each size you reordered over the same period.

Then sort each size into one of three groups:

1. Top seller. This is your first branded size. It goes out every service, so the print is seen every day.

2. Steady second. If one more size sells consistently every week, it is a candidate for a second branded size, especially if it is the larger serve that regulars order.

3. Occasional sizes. Sizes that sell in bursts, such as a small serve or an extra-large iced drink, stay plain. Order these as stock cartons when you need them.

Look at the sizes by channel too. If delivery and catering orders lean towards a bigger cup, that size may deserve a print even if it is not your dine-in favourite, because those cups travel further.

Recheck the ranking before each reorder. Menus change, and a size that was occasional can become a regular seller after a price change or a new drink.

Should my plain cups match my printed ones?

Yes. Keep the same material and colour family across printed and plain sizes so the counter still looks consistent. A café printing on white paper cups can keep its slow sizes in plain white, and a café that prints on brown kraft or bamboo cups can keep the rest brown.

Matching also keeps lids simpler. Check the rim size on each product name (for example 80mm or 90mm) and confirm lid fit on the product page before you order; our guide to takeaway coffee cup lids covers the lid side in more detail.

What cups can I choose from for each size?

All the cups below are sold by the carton, and each product page shows the carton price and the price per item. The table lists one or two options per size so you can compare materials before you settle on a branded size.

SW means single wall and DW means double wall. Double wall cups have a second outer wall. For a broader look at cup construction, see which takeaway coffee cup is best.

Which one should I buy?

Match the cup to the size your sales point to, then to the look of your venue.

• Espresso bar or small-serve café, where the small size leads: the 6oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – White SW 80mm (Carton of 1000) gives a plain white surface for a logo, at $0.07 each.
• Busy café where the regular is an 8oz: the 8oz PLA Coffee Cups – White Lined SW 80mm (Carton of 1000) is PLA-lined paper in white, at $0.11 each. If you prefer a double wall brown cup, look at the 8oz Bamboo Coffee Cups – DW 90mm One Lid Fits All (Carton of 500) at $0.14 each.
• Café with a natural, kraft look and a 12oz top seller: the 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm (Carton of 1000) is PLA-lined paper in brown, at $0.14 each.
• Café with a white cup look and a 12oz top seller: the 12oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – White SW (Carton of 1000) is aqueous-coated paper in white, at $0.14 each.
• Large serves or a strong takeaway trade: the 16oz Bamboo Coffee Cups – SW (Carton of 1000) is bamboo fibre with an aqueous coating, at $0.12 each, and the 20oz PLA Coffee Cups – White Lined SW 90mm (Carton of 1000) covers the biggest size at $0.20 each.

One practical approach is to brand the top-selling regular size, keep the large size plain, and add a second print later once the large size proves it sells every week. Browse every size and wall type in coffee cups.

How do I get a quote for printed cups?

Choose your one or two sizes, note the cup you want for each, and send them through custom print or contact us. Custom printing with your logo is available on selected products, and the quote will cover the details for the sizes you pick.

Ordering stock cups

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. 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). Reorder your plain sizes quickly through quick order.

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

Setting up or restocking your packaging?

Send us your list for a trade quote, or price it yourself in the cost calculator.

No minimum order · free delivery over $750 (metro) / $1000 (regional) · damaged items replaced free · Delivery details