Starbucks Red Cup Day 2026 is Tuesday, Nov. 17. On that day, participating U.S. stores will hand out a free collectible, reusable holiday cup when you buy any handcrafted holiday drink, while supplies last. Before that, the full Starbucks holiday menu arrives on Thursday, Nov. 5, a mystery-box set of glass Bearista cups lands on Nov. 10, and the original green-beanie Bearista cup that caused a frenzy last year returns on Dec. 1.
Starbucks confirmed the Red Cup Day date on Monday, Oct. 26, USA Today reported, and had already laid out its holiday drinks and merchandise in an Oct. 5 announcement. Here is the full calendar, what’s on the menu and how to improve your odds of getting the items most likely to sell out.
Starbucks holiday 2026 key dates at a glance
- Thursday, Nov. 5: Holiday drinks, holiday food and the first holiday merchandise collections go on sale.
- Tuesday, Nov. 10: Glass Bearista Cold Cup “Surprise Box Edition” arrives in stores, in limited quantities.
- Tuesday, Nov. 17: Red Cup Day, plus the launch of the Winter Wonderland merchandise collection.
- Tuesday, Dec. 1: The original Bearista Glass Cold Cup returns to select coffeehouses, while supplies last.
What is Red Cup Day and how do you get the free cup?
Red Cup Day is a yearly Starbucks tradition. On Nov. 17, customers who buy any handcrafted holiday beverage get a collectible, reusable red holiday cup. Starbucks says the offer is at participating stores while supplies last, so the cups can run out, especially at busy locations.
The design of this year’s cup has not been revealed yet. Starbucks told USA Today that the design and more details will be announced closer to the date.
What happened on Red Cup Day last year
Starbucks has not yet confirmed every detail for 2026, but last year’s version gives a good idea of what to expect. According to USA Today, the 2025 giveaway worked however you ordered: in store, at the drive-thru, in the Starbucks app and through Starbucks delivery on DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats. Customers who later brought back their reusable cup (or any personal cup) got a 10-cent discount on their drink, and Starbucks Rewards members earned double Stars on their whole order. Treat those as last year’s rules until Starbucks posts the 2026 terms.
Starbucks holiday menu 2026: drinks
The holiday drink lineup arrives Nov. 5. It brings back four seasonal regulars and adds two new options.
New drinks
- Tiramisu Velvet Latte (hot or iced): inspired by the Italian dessert and topped with a velvet mascarpone cold foam plus a cocoa and coffee dusting.
- Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew: the cold brew version of the same idea, with the same mascarpone cold foam topping.
- Apple Pomegranate Refresher: crisp apple flavors with popping pomegranate-flavored pearls.
- Snowy Apple Pomegranate Refresher: a creamier version made with coconut milk.
Returning favorites
- Peppermint Mocha
- Caramel Brulée Latte
- Sugar Cookie Latte
- Gingerbread Chai
Any of these handcrafted holiday drinks should qualify you for the free cup on Red Cup Day, since the offer applies to the purchase of “any handcrafted holiday beverage,” according to Starbucks.
Holiday food at Starbucks
Starbucks is also adding seasonal food on Nov. 5:
- Bearista Cake Pop (new, limited time), inspired by the Bearista cup
- Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese (new)
- Turkey & Stuffing Sandwich (returning with a new recipe)
- Cranberry Bliss Bar, Snowman Cookie and Sugar Plum Cheese Danish (returning)
The Bearista cups: why they matter this year
The Bearista Glass Cold Cup is a bear-shaped glass tumbler with a green beanie lid. When it launched with the 2025 holiday menu on Nov. 6, 2025, it sold out within hours. Customers posted about waiting outside stores before dawn, some said their store received only one or two cups, and resale listings quickly appeared online at far above the $29.95 retail price, as Fortune and CBC News reported.
Starbucks apologized at the time. “The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations and despite shipping more Bearista cups to coffeehouses than almost any other merchandise item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast,” a spokesperson said in a statement reported by People. “We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused.”
This year, Starbucks is splitting the Bearista release in two:
- Nov. 10 – Surprise Box Edition: each box holds a mystery Glass Bearista character that you only see once you open it. Starbucks says the collection is available in limited quantities, while supplies last.
- Dec. 1 – the original Bearista returns: the classic green-beanie cup comes back to select coffeehouses, while supplies last.
Starbucks has not announced 2026 prices or per-store quantities for either release, so expect some of the same scramble if demand is anywhere near last year’s.
Other holiday merchandise collections
According to Starbucks, three new merchandise collections launch on Nov. 5:
- Holiday Bearista collection: Bearista-themed drinkware, a plush keychain and matching accessories.
- Holiday Village collection: keepsakes inspired by the original Pike Place store in Seattle.
- Peppermint Mocha collection: retro-styled cold cups, tumblers and espresso cups.
A fourth line, the cool-toned Winter Wonderland collection, launches on Red Cup Day, Nov. 17. In grocery stores, Starbucks has also added a new Peppermint Mocha Flavored Coffee alongside its returning holiday coffees and creamers.
Tips for getting a red cup or a Bearista
None of these are guarantees, but they can help:
- Go early on Nov. 17. Red cups are limited to supplies on hand at participating stores, and Red Cup Day usually brings long lines.
- Check that your store is participating. Licensed locations inside grocery stores, airports and campuses may not run every promotion that company-operated stores do. Ask your local store ahead of time.
- Order a holiday drink, not a regular one. The free cup comes with a handcrafted holiday beverage, so a regular latte may not qualify.
- Be careful with resellers. Last year, Bearista cups showed up online for many times the retail price. If you’re buying secondhand, use a platform with buyer protection and compare against the official price once Starbucks lists it.
- Watch your budget. Holiday drinks and collectibles add up fast. If you’re trimming spending this season, our guide to the Walmart+ and Sam’s Club Plus bundle and our tips on saving on gas this fall may help.
Shopping for kids’ holiday gear too? Check our roundup of Halloween recalls for 2026 before you pull out last year’s costumes and lights.
FAQ
When is Starbucks Red Cup Day 2026?
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2026, at participating stores while supplies last.
Is the Red Cup Day cup free?
The reusable red cup comes at no extra charge, but you need to buy a handcrafted holiday beverage to get it.
When does the Starbucks holiday menu come out in 2026?
Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. That’s when the holiday drinks, food and most holiday merchandise launch.
What are the new Starbucks holiday drinks this year?
The new drinks are the Tiramisu Velvet Latte (hot or iced), the Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew and the Apple Pomegranate Refresher, which also comes in a Snowy Apple version made with coconut milk.
When is the Bearista cup coming back?
A mystery-box Glass Bearista collection arrives Nov. 10, and the original green-beanie Bearista Glass Cold Cup returns to select coffeehouses on Dec. 1, both while supplies last.
Is the Peppermint Mocha coming back?
Yes. The Peppermint Mocha returns Nov. 5 along with the Caramel Brulée Latte, Sugar Cookie Latte and Gingerbread Chai.
Sources: Starbucks, USA Today, People, Fortune, CBC News. We’ll update this article when Starbucks reveals the 2026 red cup design and Bearista prices.
