Paper Cups Vs. Plastic Cups: Which Is Better For Your Business?

If you run a food service business, chances are good that you’ve spent some time thinking about using disposable products. While there are benefits to sticking to reusable plates, glasses, silverware, and more, disposable options are often required. For example, if you run a food truck, then you probably aren’t about to hand customers their dishes on a plate that needs to be returned, washed, and stored in a relatively small space.

When it comes to cups, there are two main options: plastic and paper. Both can be customized with your business’ name and logo, and offer convenience and affordability. Paper cups are usually preferred for hot drinks, while plastic cups are the go-to choice for cold beverages.

At Disposable Design, we offer a full line of promotional products for the food service industry, including both eco-friendly plastic and paper cups. Whether you need custom plastic cups, custom paper cups, or any other product, we can help. Contact us today to talk to a member of our branding team about which products might be right for your restaurant.

Using Disposable Cups for Your Business

If you own a business and sell beverages, chances are good that you have considered using disposable cups. While not all food service companies use disposable cups – think of fine dining restaurants, for example – many customers like the option of taking their drink to go. This raises the important question of what type of disposable cup you should offer. There are a lot of advantages to using disposable cups for businesses. 

Increase Profit Margins

First, they’re a way to increase profits. Instead of being limited to only selling beverages for customers to enjoy inside your shop, people can take whatever drink they choose with them. Given that beverages have a particularly high profit margin compared to other drinks, having disposable cups can make your business more profitable.

Reduce Time Spent Cleaning

Second, disposable cups save on labor. Instead of having to wash each and every cup that your customers use, you will simply hand patrons their drink and get a fresh cup for the next person. This can save both time and the costs associated with washing dishes (water, electricity, and specialized equipment).

Reduce Upfront Expenses & Increase Storage Space

Third, disposable cups are often more cost-effective – particularly when you factor in shipping and replacement expenses. Buying glasses, mugs, and other types of cups is a bigger upfront cost – both in terms of the cost of the items and what it may cost to get them to you. These reusable cups and mugs also take up more space in your restaurant. While you can use them more than once, you also have to account for breakage. If a customer drops a reusable cup, not only will it make a mess – but you will have to buy a new cup.

Increase Band Recognition

Fourth, disposable cups give you an opportunity to expand your marketing efforts. For pennies on the dollar, you can have your paper or plastic cups printed with your business name and logo. This ensures that when your customers walk around with a beverage from your shop – or post a pic of the drink online – they effectively advertise your business for you.

Pros and Cons of Paper vs. Plastic Cups

When it comes to disposable cups, there are two main options – paper and plastic. Both have advantages and disadvantages – and may be better for some uses over others.

Plastic Cup Pros

Plastic cups are lightweight, cost-effective, and durable. They won’t get soggy if a person doesn’t consume their beverage right away. Clear plastic cups in particular are great for showing off a fancy beverage, like a layered boba tea drink.

Like other types of disposable cups, plastic cups save time and energy on washing and drying. They are also easy to store, as hundreds can be stacked up in a relatively small space. Because they are lightweight, they are also easy to take on the road. They can also easily be branded with a business name and logo.

Plastic cups can be a more eco-friendly option compared to paper cups. We produce our plastic cups with PET and PP plastics. Both are widely accepted by municipal recycling programs across the country. 

Plastic Cup Cons

The biggest drawback of plastic cups is that they are not designed for hot drinks. Warm beverages may actually melt the plastic. It can also burn a customer’s hands. For this reason, plastic cups are only recommended for cold drinks.

Plastic cups are often seen as being harmful to the environment (you may remember the fight against plastic with the plastic straw movement in 2011), but that is a misconception. Plastic cups in many cases are more eco-friendly than paper cups. Our PET and PP plastic cups are widely accepted by recycling programs. Reusable plastic cups like stadium cups are not so easy to recycle, but disposable plastic cups tend to be. 

Our Plastic Cups

While plastic cups have some disadvantages, there is a reason that they are considered the gold standard for disposable cups – particularly when it comes to cold beverages. At Disposable Design, we have a full range of plastic cups, each of which can be custom printed: