Missed Starbucks’ Red Cup Day? Here’s How to Still Score the Hottest Holiday Perk

Red Cup FOMO hits hard—but don't dump your 401(k) into scalped holiday cups just yet.

The hack Starbucks doesn't want you to know

Baristas confirm: leftover cups often appear like magic after the initial frenzy. Check lesser-trafficked locations or try your luck post-3pm when caffeine zombies retreat.

Pro move

Flash your rewards app like a Wall Street insider—some stores honor cup requests for gold-level members. (Take that, basic pumpkin spice peasants.)

The bitter truth

This year's cup-gate proves again: artificial scarcity drives more hype than any crypto shitcoin launch. At least the cups hold liquid.

Key Takeaways

• Starbucks is handing out reusable red cups on Thursday as part of its annual Red Cup Day promotion, which is intended to cut back on single-use waste.
• Dozens are already selling the limited-edition cup on eBay at prices up to $80.

Did your Starbucks run out of red cups? Don't fret: Thanks to eBay, every day can be Red Cup Day.

Starbucks (SBUX) is hosting its annual Red Cup Day, during which customers ordering a holiday drink Thursday are eligible for a free, 16-ounce reusable cup. The promotion lasts as long as supplies do, and in prior years some cafes handed out their last cardinal-red-and-white cups by early afternoon.

Supply of the cup doesn't appear to be an issue on eBay. Dozens of the 2025 edition cups are already listed for sale on the site, with prices ranging from $7 to $80 for one paired with a "bearista" on the lid. More than 100 prior-edition cups were sold on eBay in the past year, with prices averaging around $10, according to eBay Seller Hub data. Some are currently listed at prices running into the five digits, though those seem steep to say the least.

The red cups are intended to reduce single-use waste. Starbucks knocks $0.10 off orders when customers provide their own cup—the red one, or something else—though it's unclear how often this happens. Starbucks didn't respond to Investopedia's questions in time for publication.

Why This News Matters to Consumers

Starbucks cups aren't the only merch having a moment. Sales of Pokémon cards, Labubu dolls, model cars, and other limited-edition items are booming, which means you may be able to earn extra cash from forgotten toys.

The festive cups undoubtedly generate both HYPE and sales for Starbucks. Several customers have taken to social media to share that lines were abnormally long on Red Cup Day. The company is sure to cheer the business, with Starbucks more than a year into a turnaround campaign.

The java giant has been using algorithms to sequence and speed up orders, while trying to make cafes a more enjoyable place to spend time. Last month, CEO Brian Niccol said the effort was paying off, with Starbucks' breaking a six-quarter streak of falling same-store sales.

Niccol has told investors that Starbucks is better staffing stores, with the goal of improving customers' experiences. Still, Starbucks Workers United, a group organizing a union, launched a strike Thursday due to frustration over what it sees as understaffed stores, insufficient hours, inadequate pay, and other issues.

More than 1,000 baristas at 65 locations are engaging in what's being called the Red Cup Rebellion strike, Starbucks Workers United said. The campaign could ultimately impact about 550 locations, the group said. It wasn't immediately clear how disruptive the strike has been; Starbucks and Starbucks Workers United didn't respond to Investopedia's inquiries in time for publication.

Shares of Starbucks were recently down by about 1%, putting them off by about 5% so far this year.

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