A cup sits in someone’s hand for twenty minutes and gets photographed more than any other thing a cafe owns. It is also the item most likely to be bought on price alone and regretted later, usually when a lid does not fit or a single-wall cup turns out to be too hot to hold.
Single, double or ripple wall?
- Single wall — one layer of board, around 300–350 gsm. The cheapest per unit, but hot drinks get uncomfortable, so most cafes pair it with a sleeve.
- Double wall — a second board with an air gap between. No sleeve needed, feels more substantial in the hand, and the outer layer takes print cleanly.
- Ripple wall — a fluted outer layer. The best insulation and the most grip, and the texture gives the cup a premium feel that photographs well.
All three handle hot drinks up to about 95°C, which covers coffee, tea and hot chocolate.
Sizes and lids
Cups run from 4 oz espresso up to 22 oz. The quote form covers 4, 8, 12 and 16 oz, and the online designer adds 20 and 22 oz. If your menu needs something between those, custom sizes are available.
The rolled rim measures about 90 mm, which is the standard hot-cup lid size, so off-the-shelf lids fit. You can order plastic lids, paper lids, or no lids at all if you already have stock.
What is inside the cup
Standard cups use food-grade paperboard with a thin food-safe PE lining. That lining is what stops a paper cup leaking, and it meets FDA and EU food-contact requirements. If you need a different barrier for your waste stream, ask for the material spec when you request a quote rather than assuming — the honest answer depends on the run.
The rest of the range
Beyond drink cups we print ice cream cups, paper bowls for soup and hot food, and printed cup sleeves. Sleeves are worth knowing about: they come in a small size for 8–10 oz cups and a large for 12–20 oz, and they are by far the cheapest way to put your brand on plain stock cups while you build up volume.
Minimums and lead time
There is no minimum order on custom printed cups — the same as papers, boxes, trays and bags. A cup is printed on a reel before it is formed, so the press setup costs the same whatever the run length; that does not stop a short run, it just means the price per cup falls steeply as the quantity rises. Tell us the quantity you have in mind and we will price it.
Most orders are completed within 4 to 6 business days after you approve the digital proof, and shipping across the USA is free. Upload your logo in the free cup designer first if you want to see how the artwork wraps around the cone before committing.