Choosing takeaway cups for iced coffee, matcha, smoothies and other cold drinks
Choosing a cold cup isn't only about finding the right volume. The drink itself, how it's served, its menu price and presentation all influence which cup and lid combination makes sense for your establishment or hospitality environment. An iced matcha or coffee has different functional and aesthetic requirements from a bubble tea, green smoothie or soda. Here, we cover popular menu items and service situations, with recommended cup volumes, lids and straw pairings for your consideration.
Iced coffee and iced Americanos
A typical menu item, iced coffee is most often served in a 400–420ml clear cup, providing enough room for ice including a 6-inch ice cube, espresso and oat milk without making the actual serving feel small. The clear format keeps the drink visible and photographable. For most cafés and coffee shops, this is a practical starting point for everything from iced Americanos to Biscoff lattes, dirty horchatas and iced ube matcha lattes.
Recommended packaging
360ml - 420ml clear cup
Clear flat lid with straw hole
Regular paper straws
Iced matcha, chai and specialty drinks
An emerging choice for specialty drinks such as iced banana milk matcha, hojicha and kome lattes, the clear tumbler offers a more considered presentation for drinks where appearance is part of the menu positioning and perceived value. Pair with a clear lid with a sip hole to accommodate cold foam.
Recommended packaging
360ml clear tumbler
360ml - 420ml clear cup
Clear flat lid with sip hole
Clear flat lid with straw hole
Regular paper straws
Smoothies, boba tea and frozen drinks
A 500ml clear cup is a practical choice for larger cold drinks such as green smoothies, over-ice sodas and bubble tea that need extra space for ice, toppings or boba. Dome lids are useful for thick superfood smoothies and drinks finished with cold foam, while compatible flat lids with a straw hole or sip hole provide options across rotating cold drink menus.
Recommended packaging
420ml - 500ml clear cup
Clear flat lid with straw hole
Clear dome lid
Jumbo paper straws
Large paper straw with pointed end
Fresh pressed juices, sodas and other cold drinks
Whether you’re serving a cascara spritz or cold-pressed green juice, a 420ml to 500ml clear cup creates a generous-looking serve, with additional volume for ice. Clear flat lids with either straw or sip holes provide a clean aesthetic and secure fit, while using less material than a dome lid where additional space above the cup isn’t needed.
Recommended packaging
420ml - 500ml clear cup
Clear flat lid with straw hole
Clear flat lid with sip hole
Regular paper straws
Kids menus
Incorporating kids' sizes into a menu is something many businesses overlook. A dedicated range of 200ml to 360ml clear cups provides an intentional option for younger customers while helping manage ingredient costs and portion sizes. Highlighting a kids' superfood smoothie can encourage an additional purchase, while mini versions of menu favourites create a more inclusive experience for families.
Recommended packaging
200ml - 300ml clear cup
250ml or 360ml clear tumbler
Clear flat lid with straw hole
Clear flat lid with sip hole
Regular paper straws
Samples and tastings
For sampling, a slightly larger cup can offer advantages for both customer experience and brand visibility. Whether you attend trade shows or incorporate tastings and activations into your marketing, a 200ml or 250ml clear cup provides enough space for a meaningful serve, with room for ice where needed. The larger format also provides more real estate for custom branding and continued brand exposure.
200ml - 300ml clear cup
250ml clear tumbler
Alcohol service
Clear cups are particularly suited to cocktails, mocktails and spritzes, where the colour and presentation of the drink remain visible and a transparent cup provides a glass-like experience in outdoor settings where glassware is impractical or prohibited. Then there are high-volume venues such as concerts, festivals and sports stadiums, where beer, cider and wine need a cup with sufficient capacity for the pour while leaving enough space at the top to help prevent spills in crowded environments. Below is a quick reference to help match the cup to the pour and ice.
Recommended packaging
Wine: 250ml clear tumbler. A standard NZ wine pour is 150ml. A 250ml cup leaves enough space above the pour to prevent spills in crowded environments
Spritzes and mixed drinks: 300ml clear cups or 360ml clear tumblers. These sizes accommodate a standard spirit or wine base with plenty of room for ice, lime, mint and other garnishes
Cocktails and mocktails: 360ml clear tumbler or 360ml-420ml clear cups. Highball-style drinks such as mojitos and non-alcoholic alternatives need additional capacity for ice, mixers and garnishes, particularly for outdoor and event service
Beer and Cider: A 360ml clear tumbler or 420ml clear cup. A 400ml cup comfortably accommodates a 330ml can or bottle while leaving room for a head of foam
Paper cocktail straws
Glass restricted venues and operations
There are many environments where traditional glassware is impractical or restricted, particularly high-volume, crowded or mobile operations. Stadiums, music venues, festivals, cinemas, aircraft and outdoor events may have venue-specific requirements around the types of drinkware permitted, making clear non-glass alternatives an important consideration when planning beverage service.
Operational requirements matter too. High-turnover venues need drinkware that can be distributed quickly and doesn't require the collection, washing and storage associated with reusable glassware. For events and temporary service, cup choice should consider the venue's waste system, available collection infrastructure and any packaging requirements set by the operator.
Always confirm the venue's requirements before ordering, particularly for large events where permitted materials and waste streams may be specified by the venue or event organiser.
