Starbucks gave away limited-edition reusable red cups to customers who bought a holiday drink at participating US stores on Thursday, reviving its annual Red Cup Day promotion. The giveaway, available while supplies lasted, traditionally ranks among the company's busiest trading days of the year.

The Seattle-based company introduced its holiday menu the previous week, bringing back seasonal staples such as the Peppermint Mocha and Caramel Brulée Latte. Red Cup Day has followed the menu launch by roughly a week in recent years. It fell on November 14 in 2024 and November 13 in 2025.

The event carried particular weight for the company's labour relations. In November 2025, Starbucks Workers United, the union representing baristas at hundreds of US stores, began an open-ended strike on Red Cup Day. The union said at the time that the action was aimed at the company's slow progress towards a first contract. Starbucks executives said then that most stores remained open and that the disruption was limited.

The promotion is a key test for chief executive Brian Niccol's turnaround plan, branded "Back to Starbucks". The plan has focused on faster service, a simplified menu and a return to the coffeehouse atmosphere. Analysts at Wall Street banks have tracked holiday traffic closely as a measure of whether the chain can sustain a recovery in US same-store sales after several weak quarters.

The reusable cups have also become a minor collectors' item. Fans regularly trade them online and queue early at stores. Starbucks has said the reusable design supports its goal of cutting single-use cup waste, and customers who bring the cup back can receive a small discount on future drinks.