Mark your calendars: this year’s Starbucks giveaway event, affectionately known as Red Cup Day, is scheduled for Thursday, November 13, 2025.
What is Starbucks Red Cup Day?
Each year, Starbucks ushers in the holiday season with the launch of its signature holiday cup, holiday menu beverages, and a special promotion where customers can receive a free reusable red cup when purchasing a qualifying drink. As noted in prior coverage, this tradition has become a seasonal ritual for countless coffee-lovers.
A Bit of Holiday Cup History
- Understanding the tradition gives the “free cup” giveaway more weight. Here are a few highlights:
- The first holiday cup from Starbucks debuted in 1997 (though not purely red).
- The full red holiday cups that so many remember arrived in 1999, designed with snowflakes, stockings and candy-apple red backgrounds.
- Over the years, designs evolved: in 2016 the company invited women designers from different countries to create the cups, pivoting to white-on-red styles.
- The promotion aspect (free reusable cup on a single day) emerged in more recent years; for example 2018 featured one-day cup availability plus discounts.
How Do I Get A Starbucks Free Red Cup?
If you’re planning to participate on November 13, here’s how to maximize your chances:
On that day, purchase any qualifying handcrafted holiday or fall beverage (hot, iced, or blended) at a participating Starbucks location or via the Starbucks app/delivery.
Be sure to double-check with your local barista to ask which drinks qualify in your region, sometimes stores may limit eligibility based on supply.
Arrive early or use the Starbucks app to order ahead.
In past years, stores ran out of the reusable cups relatively early.
If you’re still craving a favorite fall drink like the Pumpkin Spice Latte and want the cup, some locations historically allowed pumpkin-season drinks on Red Cup Day (depending on the store), though coverage varies.
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