Dunkin’ Breaks Up With the Double Cup

While the practice of double-cupping, or sliding your cold iced beverage into a styrofoam cup, is in some ways quite practical given its ability to both prevent condensation and keep beverages cold, it is also incredibly wasteful. Double-cupping has been popular at Dunkin’ locations, especially in New England, for years. The practice was allegedly started by franchisees looking to give customers a more convenient way to carry iced drinks. According to Nation’s Restaurant News, Dunkin’ is phasing out the use of styrofoam altogether in favor of more eco-friend double-walled paper cups. 

You may wonder, however, why Dunkin’ was giving away so many free cups in the first place? Styrofoam is particularly appealing to operators because it is an incredibly cheap and lightweight alternative to other commercial cups. The average paper cup costs around two-and-a-half times as much as a styrofoam cup, and their heavier weight also adds to shipping costs. Also, while a paper cup can take 20 years to biodegrade, plastic products like plastic bags and styrofoam cups can take anywhere from 500 years to, well, never. 

The Boston Globe reported that, in spite of the myriad environmental implications that come with the change, New Englanders are still pretty devastated. “They say, ‘You’re changing the best part of my day.’ Which was literally soul-crushing,” said Scott Murphy, Dunkin’ Brands Chief Operating Officer. The brand is attempting to break the news through humorous advertisements, free drink cozies and the hashtag #DoubleCupBreakup.

Murphy suspects that some franchisees are stocking up on styrofoam cups now while they can still get them, as he’s noticed larger orders being placed as of late. While these kinds of changes may come at a higher cost to franchisees, positioning a brand as eco-friendly is not only the greener choice, but one necessary to stay relevant in the eyes of a modern consumer that cares about brands being both convenience-driven and environmentally-conscious.

Read the full story in NRN here.