Starbucks Red Cup Day 2025 Arrives With Free Festive Offer
The wait is over for coffee lovers across the UK as Starbucks launches its much-anticipated Red Cup Day for 2025. Today, Thursday, November 13, the global coffee chain is giving away its latest limited-edition reusable red cup completely free of charge. The special offer is available to anyone purchasing a qualifying holiday or fall beverage.
How to Claim Your Free Starbucks Cup
Customers can get their hands on the free 2025 reusable red cup with any purchase of a featured holiday drink, whether it's served hot, iced, or blended. Starbucks has confirmed that the promotion is valid through every ordering method: in-store, via drive-thru, on the official Starbucks app, or through delivery partners like DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats.
The list of drinks that qualify for the free cup is extensive, ensuring there's something for every taste. The eligible beverages include:
- Peppermint Mocha
- Caramel Brulée Latte
- Sugar Cookie Latte and Sugar Cookie Breve
- Gingerbread Chai and Gingerbread Latte
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate
- White Hot Chocolate and Hot Chocolate
- Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai
- Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte and Pecan Oatmilk Cortado
- Holiday and Fall Cold Foams and Protein Cold Foams
It is important to note that the Starbucks Christmas Blend and Starbucks Reserve Christmas brewed coffee are not included in this promotion.
The Design and Sustainability Behind the 2025 Cup
This year's collectible cup, crafted from 95 percent recycled materials, showcases a unique hand-drawn design created by Starbucks artist Yvonne Chan. Chan explained that her inspiration came from the magical feeling of stepping into a warm Starbucks on a cold day. She aimed to capture the personal touch of something made by one person for another with her sketch-style artwork.
Beyond the initial giveaway, the cup offers ongoing benefits. Customers who bring their clean reusable red cup for future drink orders will receive a 10-pence discount on their beverage. Furthermore, members of the Starbucks Rewards loyalty programme will earn double stars on their entire order when using the cup.
Starbucks has announced that it plans to distribute more cups this year than ever before. To manage the expected high demand and ensure a positive customer experience, the company stated it will have more baristas working in its cafés throughout the day.
Strike Action Casts Shadow on Festive Promotion
However, the festive celebration is facing a potential disruption. More than 1,000 unionised Starbucks workers are planning to strike at 65 U.S. stores today. The industrial action is a protest against stalled labour negotiations with the company and is strategically timed to impact Red Cup Day, traditionally one of Starbucks' busiest days of the year.
Despite the planned walkouts, Starbucks has emphasised that the vast majority of its 10,000 company-owned U.S. stores, along with its 7,000 licensed locations, will remain open and operational.
The promotion follows a period of positive momentum for the coffee giant. For the first time in nearly two years, Starbucks reported a 1% rise in same-store sales for the July-September period. Under CEO Niccol's leadership, the company has implemented new hospitality standards, redesigned stores, and adjusted staffing to improve service during peak hours. The company is also shifting its focus to prioritise in-store orders over mobile ones.
The success of the holiday season was already evident last week when the company's special glass Bearista cup sold out almost immediately after its launch. While Starbucks acknowledged that demand surpassed expectations, it has not confirmed if the popular Bearista cup will be restocked before the holidays end.
