Using Travel Mugs/Reusing Cups...

[shadow745]

I highly encourage customers to bring their travel mugs, a previously purchased cup, etc. when they get drinks from us. It saves us from using a new cup/lid and we give them a .25 discount for making the effort. Seems as if some places don't allow this, but I say why not?!? As long as the cup/lid are clean what is this hurting? Convenience stores do this sort of thing all the time... you buy the cup from them and refill it for a slightly lower price and I've seen some rough looking cups being taken into stores, but who cares!

People want to whine about saving the planet and IMO this is a good place to start. Later!

 

[TimandJoJo]

I think that's just it though. They are worried about the cup being clean and the ramifications. I suppose you could clean out the cup but then you may irk some customers even by doing that. Plus I suspect most places wouldn't want to take the time to clean it out for the customer. I agree though that it's a good idea and I think in this day and age when things need to be judged from an economical and environmental perspective that people should consider it. I think if you got rid of a lot of the regulations in our society that things like this that make sense would muster more support.

Until next time, grab a cup and drink up friend!!

 

[tinninches]

Sanitation concerns. Although I do appreciate your efforts and offer a savings!

 

[PinkRose]

I know some places ask that the customers remove the lids from their travel cups and hold onto them while you get their coffee. Then, they can put the lids back on by themselves after you fill their cups. That way, you're not touching the lid part where they drank, and it helps cut down on the germ factor. I don't like refilling a person's cup. (some of them are really scrungy) I feel like I should stop what I'm doing and rinse it out first. Then I feel like I should wash my hands again before serving the next person in line! When you think of all the ways tons of germs can be spread by reusing coffee cups, it's enough to make you reconsider the whole idea.

 

[kris7047th]

I always take my favorite coffee travel mug with me. I just feel safer from dropping and spilling coffee everywhere.

 

[virginhill]

I didn't realize that bring your travel mug was such a big issue! In this economy we should be looking to save money and also look at the environment impact.

I use my travel mug everywhere I go in the USA and Canada and have never had a bad reaction from the person serving the coffee. To the contrary they are usually happy to see that someone is paying attention to the environment!

 

[kris7047th]

I use my travel mug HOME too because it keeps my coffee hotter .. longer .. that way I like it.

 

[Quicksilver7714]

I prefer to use a my own mug, although I don't buy coffee from places like Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts all that often. As long as its clean I don't see a problem with using your own mug.

Sent from my Wii...what a pain.

 

[shadow745]

I didn't realize that bring your travel mug was such a big issue! In this economy we should be looking to save money and also look at the environment impact.

I use my travel mug everywhere I go in the USA and Canada and have never had a bad reaction from the person serving the coffee. To the contrary they are usually happy to see that someone is paying attention to the environment!

EXACTLY the point(s) I'm trying to make. I will refill any cup regardless of how it looks/smells. I usually give it a quick rinse to ensure nothing leftover will contaminate our drink quality, but seriously I don't see what the concerns are. We have hand sanitizer readily available (for us and customers) as well as water/anti-bacterial handsoap at the handwash sink. Make the drink and sanitize your hands, which we do before each making every drink we sell anyway.

People always bitch/whine about what all these paper/styrofoam cups are doing to the planet, but then refuse to refill a used cup/mug. Now I'm a very sanitary person and take it seriously because we serve to the public, but to quote the saying from a dear friend of mine... A little dirt never hurt!

All these hypocritical treehuggers need their asses kicked and I'll be first in line to give out the first kick!

 

[ElPugDiablo]

I don't understand the sanitation concern, it's not like any part of the mug or cup is touching anything. Anyway, I always rinse travel mug and ceramic with hot water from the brewer which is about 200F. If someone has a dirty cup, I ask them to leave it and pick it up next day so I can clean it for them. I never had anyone questioned or complained about it.

 

[rudyy]

when i was a student at uc davis back in 1995-97, it was expected that students would take out travel mugs to the student coffee house. in fact, when ordering coffee, the first thing we were asked was where our coffee cups were. (we got them free for living in the dorms).
you could see students throughout davis with our travel cups.
unfortunately, after a few months (and i have found this to be true with other travel mugs i've bought) the coffee began to taste a little odd, to the point where the mugs had to go. i don't know why that happened; don't know if i cleaned them too often or not often enough. i don't know if the soap did it or what.
i suspect the lining absorbs something disagreeable.
i now never use a travel mug. am i concerned about the planet? not particularly. given out the planet reportedly began its life, it seem unlikely humans could ever do anything to revert it to that "ancient sea" that could not support life as we know it.

 

[roastmaster]

I discourage customers from re-filling a travel mug.....a sanitation and quality issue ...the travel mug is usually gross and why would I want my freshly roasted coffee flavor to be tainted by a dirty travel mug? I've had this notion to offer a grocery store brand in a pump-pot for travel mug refills ...

 

[Rocqu]

I don't mind filling up someones travel mug. It saves me almost a quarter every time. Though sometimes with the real nasty looking cups I try to keep them far away from the coffee pour spout and sometimes use a for here cup and pour over, then wash my hands.

If a person can't do the right thing and be considerate by washing their mug before bringing it into the store they probably don't wash their hands after using the bathroom. I really don't want to touch their mug.

 

[Q-Lock]

I think the quality/material of the travel mug is one of the biggest factors in this issue. Personally, I use a stainless steel travel mug that I originally bought from Starbucks. The mug is always clean, or has at least been cleaned in the last 24 hours. With it being stainless steel you don't get the "grungy" brown stains inside of it like the lesser quality white plastic mugs. The mug never looks dirty and I never have any leftover taste from the previous cup.

I use this mug every time I go to Starbucks and I've never had any issues with it. Like someone previously mentioned, they do ask me to hold on to the lid while they fill my mug. I don't recall ever getting a discount though, that's a great incentive!

I'm definitely a fan of refilling a travel mug as opposed to a paper cup. Coffee stays hot longer and I don't have the extra waste of a paper cup.

 

[PinkRose]

I really don't enjoy having to wash out and refill a travel mug, especially when the person has left a hunk of broken mushy biscotti at the bottom. Some people are very inconsiderate, even when they think they're saving the planet.

Rose