Starbucks Red Cup Day 2026 lands on Tuesday, November 17, and the holiday menu arrives 12 days earlier, on Thursday, November 5. Starbucks says customers get a collectible, reusable holiday cup with the purchase of any handcrafted holiday beverage, at participating stores while supplies last.
This page covers how the free cup works, what is on the menu and the dates for the Bearista drops. More seasonal coverage lives in our Food & Drink section. We have not tasted any of the new drinks, so every detail below comes from Starbucks or from an outlet we name.
As of Sunday, November 1, 2026. Starbucks has not shown the 2026 cup design, and dates can shift, so check the app before you go.
When is Starbucks Red Cup Day 2026?
Starbucks Red Cup Day 2026 is Tuesday, November 17. Starbucks’ October 5 holiday menu post says the tradition will return that day, and Scripps News reports the same date.
On November 17, customers get a collectible, reusable holiday cup with the purchase of any handcrafted holiday beverage. Starbucks marks the offer with a footnote, which reads “At participating stores while supplies last.”
USA Today also gives November 17 in its October 26 report. All three sources agree on the date.
The cup design is still unknown. USA Today says Starbucks told it the design and more details will come closer to the date. We cannot describe the cup yet, and we will update this page when the company reveals it.
How the Starbucks Red Cup Day 2026 free cup works
The Starbucks Red Cup Day 2026 cup comes with a purchase. Starbucks says you get it with any handcrafted holiday beverage, so it is not a stand-alone giveaway. Scripps News calls it a free, limited-edition reusable cup with a seasonal drink.
Red Cup Day is Tuesday, November 17, at participating stores while supplies last.
Red Cup Day is Tuesday, November 17, at participating stores while supplies last. Starbucks does not say how many cups each store receives, so an early visit is the safer plan.
Last year’s offer is the only guide to how this year’s may work. USA Today reports that the 2025 giveaway covered in-store orders, the drive-through, the Starbucks app and delivery through DoorDash, GrubHub and Uber Eats. It also reports that anyone who brought back a reusable cup, or any cup, after Red Cup Day got a 10-cent discount on a beverage, and that Starbucks Rewards members earned double stars on the whole order.
Those are last year’s terms. Starbucks’ October 5 post mentions no return-cup discount, bonus stars or delivery partners, and the company has not said whether any of them return for Starbucks Red Cup Day 2026. Treat them as background, not a promise.
The day has a labor history too. Scripps News notes that in 2023, Starbucks workers at more than 200 US locations held a one-day walkout they called the “Red Cup Rebellion.” It was part of a long effort to unionize the company’s stores.
Starbucks holiday menu 2026: what’s back and what’s new
Starbucks says the holiday menu starts Thursday, November 5. Four favorites return: the Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Sugar Cookie Latte and Gingerbread Chai.
The new lineup centers on Tiramisu Velvet. The Starbucks Tiramisu Velvet Latte comes hot or iced, and a Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew joins it. Starbucks says both drinks are topped with a velvet mascarpone cold foam and a cocoa and coffee dusting, and that the lineup is inspired by the classic Italian dessert. We cannot tell you how they taste.
The second new drink is the Apple Pomegranate Refresher. Starbucks describes crisp apple flavors and popping pomegranate-flavored pearls. A Snowy Apple version is made with coconut milk.
Food changes too. Starbucks lists these items:
- The new Bearista Cake Pop, inspired by the Bearista Glass Cold Cup, for a limited time.
- The new Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese.
- The Turkey & Stuffing Sandwich, now with a new recipe.
- The returning Cranberry Bliss Bar, Snowman Cookie and Sugar Plum Cheese Danish.
Starbucks’ announcement lists no prices, so we have none. For the other big seasonal launch, see our guide to McDonald’s holiday drinks, which start November 3.
Starbucks Bearista cup 2026 and the merch dates
Starbucks spreads its merchandise across the month, so the dates matter. Here is the order in the company’s announcement:
- November 5. The Holiday Bearista collection (drinkware, a plush keychain and accessories), the Holiday Village collection and the Peppermint Mocha collection arrive.
- November 10. A new Glass Bearista Cold Cup Surprise Box Edition lands in coffeehouses. Each box holds a mystery Glass Bearista, and the character stays hidden until you open it. Quantities are limited, while supplies last.
- November 17. The Winter Wonderland collection launches, with cool-toned drinkware and wintry textures. It shares a date with Starbucks Red Cup Day 2026.
- December 1. The original Bearista Glass Cold Cup returns to select coffeehouses, while supplies last.
The Starbucks Bearista cup 2026 rollout has two parts. The surprise box comes first, and the original cup follows three weeks later. USA Today reports that Starbucks pitched the December 1 return as “just in time for holiday gifting.”
Starbucks says the Holiday Village keepsakes nod to its Seattle roots and are inspired by the original Pike Place store.
For the rest of the season, try our Thanksgiving dessert ideas, our pick of holiday advent calendars worth a look and this year’s Christmas tree trends.
Starbucks Red Cup Day 2026 FAQ
When is Red Cup Day at Starbucks in 2026?
Tuesday, November 17, per Starbucks. The collectible, reusable cup comes with the purchase of any handcrafted holiday beverage, at participating stores while supplies last.
When does the Starbucks holiday menu 2026 start?
Thursday, November 5. That is when the new Tiramisu Velvet drinks, the Apple Pomegranate Refresher and the new food arrive, according to Starbucks.
What is the Starbucks Tiramisu Velvet Latte?
It is a new holiday latte, served hot or iced. Starbucks says it is topped with velvet mascarpone cold foam and a cocoa and coffee dusting, and that the lineup is inspired by the classic Italian dessert.
When does the Starbucks Bearista cup come out in 2026?
The Holiday Bearista collection arrives November 5. A Glass Bearista Cold Cup Surprise Box Edition follows November 10, and the original Bearista Glass Cold Cup returns December 1 at select coffeehouses.
What is the Starbucks Bearista cake pop?
It is a new limited-time cake pop, available from November 5, that Starbucks says was inspired by its Bearista Glass Cold Cup.
Check back on November 5 and November 17. We will refresh this Starbucks Red Cup Day 2026 guide when the menu goes live and when the cup design is revealed.
Sources: Starbucks (October 5 announcement), Scripps News and USA Today. Last checked Sunday, November 1, 2026.