Since 1997, Starbucks has swapped its iconic white and green cups for those with red and green holiday designs soon after Halloween. This year, the big swap took place Wednesday, and while the Seattle-based coffee giant may have pioneered the trend, a number of other chains joined in this season.
Beverages are an increasingly competitive menu category, with brands like 7 Brew, Dutch Bros and Taco Bell heating up the competition along with the old-guard players like Starbucks, Dunkin’ and Sonic. But for the 2025 holiday season, it seems like they’re competing as fiercely with cup designs as with the drinks that fill them. After all, there’s only so much you can do to differentiate a peppermint mocha or gingerbread latte.
Starbucks' new holiday cup design is inspired by the baristas' apron strings. | Photo courtesy of Starbucks.
Starbucks changes up its holiday cup motif every year, and the 2025 design focuses on flowing ribbons inspired by the aprons worn by the chain’s baristas. “The return to the coffeehouse and getting back to our roots really inspired us,” said Starbucks creative director Kristy Camerson in a statement.
The Merry Apron Strings hot cup comes in both green and red and features the apron strings tied in a festive bow. The ribbon design carries through to the cold cups too. There’s also a Coffeehouse Plaid hot cup in green and red.
As for the drinks themselves, the lineup includes Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulee Latte, Iced Sugar Cookie Latte and Iced Gingerbread Chai. Starbucks Reserve locations are serving the new Caramel Miso Hot Cocoa to offer a more complex take on seasonal flavors.
Rival Dunkin’ is going in a more playful direction, offering hot and cold cups decorated with cartoon-like Munchkins characters surrounded by gifts and snowy scenes. Four holiday beverages launched Tuesday along with the new cups, with the Cookie Butter Cloud Latte and Berry Sangria Refresher making their debut.
The former was inspired by a viral menu hack and combines espresso, brown sugar and baked cookie flavor topped with Cookie Butter Cold Foam, while the Refresher mimics a red holiday punch with a tea, lemonade or sparkling water base. Returning are Peppermint Mocha and Toasted White Chocolate Signature Lattes.
Panera is actively getting into the holiday spirit this year. | Photo couresy of Panera Bread.
Panera has noticeably been trying to get a bigger piece of beverage action, starting with the launch of its Unlimited Sip Club membership two years ago. The fast casual is ramping up its beverage presence this holiday season with the introduction on Tuesday of Frozen Signature Hot Chocolate, a blend of half-and-half, chocolate sauce and ice topped with whipped cream. Also new is a more traditional Signature Hot Chocolate made with steamed milk; Mocha Latte and Iced Mocha Latte return to the menu.
And Panera is no slacker when it comes to holiday cups. The chain is offering cups decorated with alternating red and green squares adorned with snowflakes, wrapped gifts and ornaments.
Relative newcomer 7 Brew, the fast-growing drive-thru-only coffee chain that opened its first location in 2017, introduced two collections of limited-edition drinks and cups. The “Sip the Season” and “Share the Magic” beverages are mostly cold, geared to the brand’s younger, energy-seeking crowd. There’s the bright red Holiday Punch 7 Energy, a Pecan Pie Breve and Crème Brulee Latte in the first group, and Candy Cane Mocha Brew Frost, 7 Fizz Soda and Santa’s Cookie Mocha in the second. Also debuting is a new Almond Roca flavor.
7 Brew's holiday cups show off colorful drinks. | Photo courtesy of 7 Brew.
The cup designs are pretty minimalist, but 7 Brew is planning a “7 Days of 7 Brew” celebration beginning Dec. 7 to spread more holiday spirit. Customers will be treated to daily surprises and festive activations throughout the month.
Omaha, Nebraska-based Scooter’s, another drive-thru beverage concept that is gaining an edge on the big guys, got a head start on its holiday drop by launching last Tuesday. The cup designs are inspired by "Elf," the Christmas movie classic, and the names of the drinks reflect Buddy the Elf’s journey from the North Pole to New York City.
The collection includes the Candy Cane Forest Mocha with espresso and the Candy Cane Forest Hot Chocolate without caffeine, along with the Swirly Twirly Sugar Cookie Latte, Buddy the Elf Maple Caramelicious, Buddy the Elf Maple Chai and Cherry Cheer Sparkling Float.
The Christmas movie "Elf" was the inspiration for the cups and drinks at Scooter's. | Photo courtesy of Scooter's.
Caribou Coffee was also early to the holiday celebration, launching its lineup Saturday. The hot and cold cups are patterned with more modern designs in shades of the brand’s signature turquoise paired with red. The drinks themselves also take a bit of a departure from tradition.
Although the Minneapolis-based chain does go the peppermint route with its Ho Ho Mint Mocha, the rest of the menu focuses on cranberry and chili flavors. There’s a Cranberry Dark Chocolate Crafted Press, Cranberry Dark Chocolate Espresso Shaker, Cranberry Energy Drink with Coconutmilk Cold Foam, Spicy Mocha Espresso Shaker spiked with cinnamon and ancho chili and a Spicy Mocha.
Caribou Coffee's cup collection sports a more modern design. | Photo courtesy of Caribou Coffee.
"The success of our cranberry platform in 2024 inspired us to introduce the new Cranberry Dark Chocolate Crafted Press, while guest demand led us to add the Spicy Mocha Espresso Shaker to our lineup,” said Carrie Sazama, Caribou Coffee’s director of product, in a statement.
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