For those who don't watch the calendar like a hawk as soon as there's a chill in the air, there are a few easy ways to tell that the holidays are coming.
First, the TV commercials touting holidays sales ramp up. Then, a bunch of reindeer and snowman inflatables appear scattered throughout your neighborhood. Finally, the Starbucks SBUX holiday cups arrive, and the three step process is completed: the season has arrived.
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Starbucks hasn't officially released its holiday cups — they're still largely in the pumpkin phase of things. But it's expected that the multinational coffee chain will roll out its U.S. holiday cups on November 16 — just a few days away. Starbucks hasn't confirmed or denied this reporting (which was first set forth by Workers United) but in 2022, Starbucks rolled out its telltale festive cups on November 17, so that date tracks accurately.
But Starbucks has been not-so-quietly working on another cup project that's got people lining up and camping out for the chance to bring one home.
Starbucks rolls out a popular new cup
While customers wait for the latest iteration of the cheery holiday cup due out in mid-November, Starbucks has been hard at work with a collaboration that was almost guaranteed to sell out from the moment it was released.
In its second "secret" merchandise drop on the year, Starbucks quietly released a Stanley tumbler collaboration in a bright chrome red that looks awfully similar to some of its holiday cups from years' past.
Starbucks didn't make much fanfare about the release, but eager customers were immediately atwitter about the matter online.
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"Came in for opening shift and there was a group of people that slept with tents outside for the cups lol," one employee wrote on the r/Starbucks subreddit.
"Same at my store. I did the promoset and was like oh these are neat. Had launch day as PTO so I stroll in at 9am for a coffee and to browse the wares, and half the shelf was empty. Opener said we had a line of people when she got there, half hour before open," a supervisor wrote on the thread.
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"someone came the minute we opened and bought all 3 of ours 😭 we only had 4 and my shift bought the last one," another wrote.
Some customers reported seeing the collaboration as early as November 2, and most stores appear to be sold out of them now — though some are available for resell online for a significant price markup.
"We are seeing an enthusiastic response to the limited-edition, red Starbucks x Stanley Quencher (40 fl. oz.) available at Starbucks stores in the U.S. for a limited time, while supplies last,” a Starbucks spokesperson said. “Some stores will be restocked throughout the season.”
A set of three cups has been spotted for $450 online, with one going for as high as $250.
