I Tried Bringing My Own Portable Coffee Mug to 6 NYC Coffee Shops; Here’s What Happened:
Pre-2020, I remember the days of going to my local spots and bringing my own beloved travel mug to hold my morning caffeine kick. As a barista, I remember giving out discounts or extra points to whoever brought their own cup as a way to celebrate their contributions as sustainable baddies, daddies, and zaddies. Well, fast-forward to 2023, we have lived through 3 years of a global pandemic, the health of the earth is still… what it is, and it seems to us that people are still pretty suspicious of using their own containers. Even though we know that COVID-19 isn’t living on our surfaces like we once feared, is bringing your own mug back in? Will we be scorned or shamed if we ask our cute barista crush to make our oat milk matcha latte in our own stainless steel cup? Or will they celebrate us and congratulate us for our sustainability efforts like they once did? If you have been wondering this, you’re not alone. We decided to test it for ourselves. We visited 6 different spots here in New York and Brooklyn to get a sense of how different coffee shops responded and to give you an idea of where it’s back in fashion to BYOM (bring your own mug) and where they might still need a little convincing.
1. The Local Trendy Spot - Result: Success!
Til Death: I can’t lie; I started out easy. I decided to hit up a favorite spot, Til Death Coffee in Bushwick. Now I was pretty sure that Til Death was going to be chill with me. The spot is a coffee shop inside of an old mobile home underneath the M train. If you know Bushwick, you might already be painting a picture: kind of punk vibes, kind of grimy (but in a hot way), and very very cool. I asked the barista in the window oh so nicely,“What are the odds you could put that in my cup?” and they didn’t even bat an eye before saying, “Oh yeah, of course.”
2. The “Been Here Longer than You’ve Been Alive” Spot - Result: Success!
Peter Pan Donut Shop: Living in New York, like many other cities around the world, there will always be some long-standing food and drink establishments with a cult-like following. Because some of these spots tend to be owned and staffed by people from older generations, I was curious to see how one of these legendary spots might react to a reusable cup. I made my way to one of my favorite establishments in the city, Peter Pan Donuts and Pastry Shop in Greenpoint. Family run since the 1950s, this spot brings in tourists (especially fans of Marvel’s Spider Man), and locals alike. When I stopped in, it was around 1 pm and the shelves were still stacked with treats. Their drink menu is pretty minimal but if you are here for a classic coffee and donut moment, then this is the spot for you. I ordered my maple old-fashioned donut and asked for a coffee. (I was asked, “how do you take it?” which, tbh, is a question I’d like to be asked more often.) I asked the counter worker, who was dressed in the shop’s iconic pink and green uniform, and they were a little surprised but completely accommodating. This was the first time I was asked the size of my cup in order to charge me appropriately for the coffee, so I would recommend knowing the capacity of your travel mug, just to make the process easier for all involved! I didn’t get a discount here, but at $1.55 per cup, I was still pretty satisfied.
3. The High-End Franchise - Result: Success!
Blue Bottle: I can’t lie to you. There are few things that bring me as much joy as a NOLA Spiced Iced Coffee from Blue Bottle. Yeah, I know we don’t always stan these high-priced franchises, but sometimes a girl needs their yummy iced drink in a pinch, and Blue Bottle just really hits. Because Blue Bottles have taken over both West and East coasts I decided this might be a good place to investigate using reusables. I went to the Williamsburg Blue Bottle around 5 pm (sometimes you need a little coffee in the evening, okay), and ordered my iced NOLA with oat milk. When I asked the barista if I could use my own mug ,they were very affirming and even remembered that Blue Bottle, like Starbucks, also offers a discount for using your own cup. At Blue Bottle, the discount is a hefty twenty-five cents, which in the age of alternative milks and extra shots, makes a pretty big difference. I asked the barista how often they have customers asking to use their own mugs and they told me that it isn’t as often as it was before the pandemic. But it does seem to be picking up. Maybe we sustainable baddies who bring our mugs to Blue Bottle can inspire a trend, and save a few cents!
4. The High-End Franchise: Global Edition - Result: Success!
Starbucks: For this on-the-ground project, I felt it would be most useful to check out a few spots that pretty much anyone can find, whether you live in New York or in Japan. So of course, I had to go to Starbucks. I decided to hit up the location on St. Marks Place (there is some pretty fascinating lore about this spot, if you are curious). Right away I noticed that Starbucks was already encouraging reusable use by promoting a special Earth Day edition tumbler with the words “Choose to Reuse” printed on the face (it was very cute, I cannot lie). When I asked the barista if they could put my pink drink in my 16oz Fellow travel mug he said “of course, we can do that” and under his breath said, “Okay $0.10 discount for cup.” So, not only can you use your own mug at Starbucks but they will also give you a little reward too! A treat for a treat! My one suggestion is to ask the barista to leave a bit of room in your drink, because my cup was slightly overflowing. But hey, there are worse things than having too much pink drink.
5. Affordable and Everywhere - Result: Unsuccessful - Would NOT recommend a personal mug
McDonald's: I’m sure that Mcdonald’s looks different all over the world. However, the NYC location I went to (and it seems like most locations nowadays) requires that you order from the electronic kiosk at the front and pick up your drink or food when your order number is called. This made it very difficult to ask to use my own reusable cup because there is no such option at the kiosk. After putting in my order, I attempted to ask to replace the cup but the McDonald’s employees looked at me with such confusion, I was overcome with social anxiety, nixed the idea, and let them continue. I think Mcdonald’s is not an ideal spot for using your own mug but if one of these days you’re feeling extra confident, I don’t think it’s impossible.
6. Affordable and Everywhere - Result: Success!
Dunkin’ Donuts: My final attempt came down to the holy grail, the one and only, Dunkin’ Donuts (or just Dunkin’?). I finally was able to find a Dunkin’ that was open this week right off the Bedford Ave. L station. It was a hot and steamy day in New York and I needed something icy and cold, so I ordered a delicious Dragon Fruit Refresher. When I asked if I could use my own cup, I was not met with any clear hesitation except for the fact that my barista simply could not figure out the size of my cup. Dunkin’s small size is 16 oz, whereas most other spots have a 12 oz small (for clarity, my cup was indeed 16 oz). Again, my only piece of advice here is to have the proper information on your cup size and standard drink sizes so as to avoid any added stress. But despite the confusion, it was a swift and easy request! Only disappointment is that Dunkin’ does not seem to have any fun cup discounts at this time. Oh well, c’est la vie! The tradeoff is that it’s more affordable than a higher-end franchise, so it all tends to even out.