Takeaway Coffee Cups Buying Guide

Choosing takeaway coffee cups for a café, coffee van or bakery comes down to four things: which cup style suits your drinks and brand, which sizes you need, which lid fits, and whether you need sleeves or carriers. This guide walks through each one, using the cups, lids and accessories we stock at Grab n Go Packaging.

Takeaway coffee cup styles compared

We stock four styles of paper hot cup. They all hold hot drinks; the difference is how they feel in the hand, how they look, and the cost per cup.

• Kraft ripple cups: a rippled outer wall in natural brown kraft. The ripple traps air, so the cup insulates the drink and is comfortable to hold without a sleeve. A warm, premium look for independent cafés and coffee vans.
• Black ripple cups: the same ripple grip and insulation in a matt black finish. Popular with specialty coffee shops, and especially smart with black lids.
• Double wall cups: two layers of paperboard with an air gap between them. The smooth black outer wall insulates the drink and is ideal for stickers or stamps if you brand your cups.
• Single wall cups: one layer of white paperboard. The lowest cost per cup, ideal for high-volume service, vending and offices. Very hot drinks can make them warm to hold, so they’re usually paired with a sleeve for takeaway.

Which coffee cup size do I need?

Match the cup to the drink so portions stay consistent and you’re not paying for more cup than you need.

• 4oz (approx. 120ml): espresso, macchiatos, cortados and tasting samples. Kraft ripple, black ripple and single wall.
• 7oz (approx. 200ml): teas, filter coffee, vending and staff-room drinks. Single wall.
• 8oz (approx. 240ml): flat whites, cappuccinos and regular teas. Kraft ripple, black ripple, double wall and single wall.
• 12oz (approx. 340ml): the everyday takeaway size for lattes and Americanos. Kraft ripple, black ripple, double wall and single wall.
• 16oz (approx. 450ml): large lattes, mochas and hot chocolates. Kraft ripple, black ripple, double wall and single wall.

Most cafés stock two or three sizes: 8oz and 12oz cover the majority of orders, with 16oz for large drinks and 4oz if you serve espresso to take away.

Which lid fits my coffee cup?

Lids are sized by the rim of the cup, not the drink. In our range:

• 4oz cups take the 4oz domed white sip lid.
• 8oz cups have an 80mm rim and take our 80mm domed sip lids in white or black.
• 12oz and 16oz cups share a 90mm rim, so one 90mm domed sip lid in white or black fits both. That keeps your lid stock simple.

The 7oz single wall cup doesn’t have a matching lid in our range, so it suits drinks served on site or poured to order. Lids and cups are sold separately, so you can mix colours: white lids look clean on any cup, black lids give a sleek look on black ripple and double wall cups.

Do I need cup sleeves?

Ripple and double wall cups are insulated on their own, so they don’t need a sleeve. Single wall cups are the cheapest option, but very hot drinks can make them warm to hold, so most cafés add a sleeve for takeaway. We stock kraft sleeves for 8oz single wall cups and one sleeve that fits both 12oz and 16oz single wall cups.

A common setup is single wall cups with sleeves for everyday drinks, and a ripple or double wall cup for premium or specialty serves.

Carriers and stirrers

For orders of more than one drink, moulded pulp fibre carriers keep cups upright and steady: 2 cup carriers for pairs and small orders, and 4 cup carriers for office runs and family orders. For the condiment station, our 180mm wooden stirrers reach the bottom of 12oz and 16oz cups.

Quick buying checklist

• Pick a cup style: kraft ripple, black ripple, double wall or single wall.
• Choose your sizes, usually 8oz and 12oz, plus 16oz and 4oz if needed.
• Add matching lids by rim size: 4oz, 80mm or 90mm.
• Add sleeves if you’re using single wall cups for hot takeaway drinks.
• Add 2 and 4 cup carriers for multi-drink orders.

Coffee cup FAQs

Are coffee cups and lids sold together? No. Cups and lids are sold separately so you can choose the lid colour and only buy the sizes you need.

Do ripple cups need a sleeve? No. The ripple wall insulates the drink and gives a comfortable grip for most hot drinks. The same is true of double wall cups.

Can paper coffee cups be recycled? Paper hot cups have a thin waterproof lining, so they need to go to a cup recycling point or a collection that accepts paper cups. Check your local waste guidance, or use the Recycle Now locator.

How are coffee cups sold? By the case at wholesale prices. Most cups come in cases of 500 or 1,000, and the case quantity is shown on each product.

How fast is delivery? Orders placed by 12pm are dispatched for next-day UK delivery (T&Cs apply), and delivery is free on orders over £150 ex VAT.

Ready to order? Browse all takeaway coffee and drinking cups, or call or WhatsApp our team for help choosing.