Starbucks revolutionized the coffee industry, but it lags in lid technology

That's what columnist Michael O'Rourke says. "McDonald's has the retractable nodule. Burger King has the plastic slide cover. Lids that prevent spilling. Lids that keep the precious caffeine-laced beverage from burning your hands or soiling your floor mats. Any Starbucks drinker who has hit a pothole knows the drawbacks to the Starbucks lid design. You can spot them by the blisters on their hands." Time for Starbucks to tweak its lids so you can cover that hole? (Read the story at mysanantonio.com)

Comments

[Christy]

Oh they have it all worked out lucratively...they *can* cover the hole. With their commuter mugs. For only $19.95.

[Sheik]

"Can I get a sticker for the top? I love the taste of melted adhesive in my latte."

"Can I have a spill-proof lid? I'll be going into orbit later in the day I think. A space trip is overdue."

[SBUXGRL]

Okay, so I work for Starbucks and drink about twice as much as an average customer. Including in my car, in my house, while walking, you name it. I have, in five years, only had about two lid mishaps. The problem is that customers are constantly taking the lid off to see how much room we left, putting it on, taking it off to add cream, taking the lid off to "sip" it, taking the lid off while driving to blow on it. If they just left the lid alone, they'd be fine.

[Randy]

http://www.randyrants.com/2004/04/april_fools_abo.html

I've been lamenting about this for over 2 years now - other people even longer... 7-11 have great lids too, even if their coffee is terrible.

It's sad.

[Randy]

Oh and for what it's worth, I've never once opened the lid to see what's left in it. Mocha's explode in both my cars. So do Gingerbread latte's. Vanilla and Eggnog latte's do not, though.

And if you think it's still "whining" try driving with ANY hot drink in a Wrangler!

[Nick]

The solution: stixtogo.com
(no affiliation)

[Jim]

sbuxgrl: I'm glad you've rarely had trouble. Good for you.

Those of us who live in the real world would like something done about those %$#@# lids!

[Becca]

Maybe it's not a prob for everyone, but I've found that the venti cups, both hot and cold, are flimsier than they used to be, and the little overlap nodule on the side is larger, making lids waaay harder to put on than before.

As long as you don't order a venti, you can always ask for it in a larger cup.
In reference to the melting stickers, the drinks aren't hot enough to do that. I spilt an entire piture of freshly steamed milk all over myself last week, and it's not that hot.

[James the Barista]

Here is an idea, stick around in the lobby for a little while and drink some of it down till you have room. Where's the fire? No need to rush! In drive thru? Get out of your car and learn to socialize with people!

[ZachWhoMakesDrinks]

There's actually a pretty simple fix: Instead of asking for a sticker for the lid, ask for another lid instead. Take the second lid and push up the part that sinks down (where the mouth hole is) now put the second lid on top of the first but with the hole on the opposite side....it won't spill, and you can easily take it off for a swig and replace it :P

Grood luck!

[ASM]

Now that I think about it our lids aren't the best for traveling compared to some others. The day dot stickers and others that SBUX used to have were, cool but now the day dot stickers are disolvable. As long as you dont use the day dot ones they won't melt on you. Those newer baristas or ones who dont care might throw one on your lid. Zach has a pretty good idea about the double lid idea. Also just ask for some room in your drink no matter what it is. So you have about a 1/2-1" space at the top of your drink if youre driving. Either way there is a remedy, but I do agree that the lids could be much better. I'm definately going to bring that up next time I'm in at work.

[Supposed Eric]

I've never opened a lid while transporting a grande latte or chai, but I have had two or three explode in my hand. One must lift the cup out of the cupholder very carefully, in case the lid and cup are not well connected. The "explosions" actually left me with nearly all the chai still in the cup, but the ounce or so that got loose somehow got everywhere.

I no longer lose any of my drink during normal driving, but I don't use stickers. I use a stirring stick. That mild obstruction seems to be enough to keep things where they belong. And I drive as you'd expect the owner of a German car to drive.

I am very wary of those stickers. Who says they are FDA-approved for that use? And today, the ones I saw weren't numbered, they looked like commemorative stamps. Now there's a concept. Anyway, using a stirrer to stop up the whole means I can always use the stirrer to stir something.

Sometimes I think the solution would be delivery, because it would kill the "Starbucks effect" on morning traffic and allow certain German car companies to go without adequate cup holders for a few more years, not to mention cutting down on some pollution and oil consumption.

[coffeeguy :)]

Yea next time your in a bux ask for a customer feedback form. Let head office know you want new spill proof lids. :)

Behind you guys on this one 100%

[Supposed Eric]

For stop up the WHOLE read stop up the HOLE darn it. I did preview, honest.

[Lauren]

For the girl who spilled milk on herself and said it wasn't hot:

You're wearing (At least) a layer of pants, a shirt (tucked in so double coverage) and a pretty hefty relatively water resistant apron. Of course when you spill it on yourself it won't be THAT hot. Add on the fact that maybe people out there are a bit more sensitive to heat and...you've got an issue.

The only time I've ever seen lids create problems are when a) the lid hole and the seam of the cup meet, b) when you're driving and it's too close to the top, and c) when you try to take your cup out of the cupholder (because it firmly puts pressure on the outside) and you actually mishape the top of the cup (causing the lid not to fit properly) and having it explode.

I don't have cupholders (haha, at the german car thing, yeah, the swedish cars are the same) and I never "squeeze" my drinks in that fashion and have never had it pop -- does that mean that everyone shouldn't? No. I'm just saying, maybe it's just...a cup of coffee.

[ASM]

Lauren have u lived in Las Vegas..just curious if i know you =)

[Becca]

Lauren, I was actually wearing shorts, and I spilled the milk all over my legs, so they were bare, and felt the milk first hand. It is deffinately possible that I'm less sensitive to heat than some, but not by a lot... I'm a temperature whimp :p

Reading your "story" (for lack of a better word) of the 2nd instance of coffee explosion made me cringe as I envisioned the times it had happen to me.

What German car do you have that lacks cup holders? My entire family drives German Cars (Two MB's, an Audi, a BMW, a VW and a Smart) and only the latter lacks the cup holders.

[Boston Starbucks Rebel]

The listed drinks above mocha and GBL have whip cream and therefore spilll. However vanilla lattes and EGL have foam instead and thats why they do not spill. Ask for extra foam on your drink and it will contain it for you. For brewed coffee, I agree, get a travel tumbler or get a tray to hold you drink in. Always works. My old car years ago did not have a cup holder so I used a tray instead. I have reached to save my latte but almost plowed into trees and on-coming traffic a few times, but my latte was happy.

[Baristaboy]

Okay... for all who are whining about the cup lids... I like the idea of buying one of the cups with the lids that can be reused. Also, were you aware that you get $.10 cup discount if you reuse it. Over the course of a 5 day work week @ 2 cups a day that saves you $1. Equals out to $52/year. Figure it up. Also its $52 you don't have to use in burn cream because you have spilt the coffee all over AND.... it is maybe even saving you more from savings from your Auto INsurance not going up. How so you may ask...On a completely non-related starbucks issue- how many accidents would not occur if people were not on their cell phones/eating or yes, even drinking their starbucks coffee. Think about it.

[ASM]

You tell em Baristaboy LOL. That is true, don't drink and drive. Your problem completely. If you would like to purchase the tumbler with the retractable sip hole it would remedy your problem. If not then relax int he cafe and drink your drink. Relax.

[JustABarista]

I can understand the occasional mishap in the car. You grab the cup too hard while searching for it with your hand because you want to watch the road. It happens. What I never imagined is the amount of "adults" that can manage to spill a drink in the cafe. It seems incredible to me and happens at least twice a day. Of course when you go to clean it up the customer keeps saying "I'm Sorry" and "I'm so embarassed". I wish that just once, I could look at them and say, you should be embarassed, you aren't a child anymore. Instead I have to smile and say "no worries, happens all the time"

[Boston Starbucks Rebel]

I used to be able to drive around, talk on my cell, and even sip a frappuccino. Its all about the elbows people!

[LeftyGrrrl]

I don't think it is the lids - I think it is the new cups. Regardless, I agree that plastic or metal tumblers are the way to go. I have a metal one - it keeps the drinks hot for a long time. And, no spills. It's easy. Just wait for them to go on clearance and buy a couple - totally worth every penny.

[Arman]

I always take my lid off.

[Thayer]

Randy,

I just ran into Stixtogo at my local stand. AMAZING IDEA! Its about time someone came up with the leaky lid solution.

Where do we find them - do you know? I used cruizen caps before, but now I am adhesive free and lovin' it!

[Micheal]

My coffee house uses stixtogo. My barista told me they are also available in smaller quantities on ebay by searching "coffee spills". I got cool one's with american flags on them.

[Tony]

One thing I have noticed baristas doing is not paying attention to the direction of the lid. The most problems occur when one lines up the drink hole with the cup seam.

As for checking to see what was put in the cup. I have been getting annoyed when I am asked "room for cream" and say "no" and get 1-2" of room at the top of the cup. Even though I put cream in my coffee, I always say no because I figure I will get a half cup of coffee. Isn't there some standard at this otherwise standardized corporation? If I wanted 12 ounces of coffee, I would ask for a "tall" instead of a grande.

1-2"is way too much space if you don't want room. But the cups do accomadate 1/4". So A tall is 12 oz when filled to 1/4" below the rim. One thing that is annoying as hell is if you ask for no room, we give you no room, and then you dump a whole bunch into the garbage. Not because it's wasting coffee, we could care less, but because we have to cary those damn bags and they leak, and get very heavy when haf filled with coffee.

[Deusx]

Yeah, do they regularly dump liquids in their own trash I wonder?

[sbuxmanager]

At Peet's they have a little sink on the condiment bar with a water tap. It's great...Customers dump their overfill into an actual drain, and you never have to interupt service to give someone a glass of water. Starbucks would never do something like that. They'd tell you that giving a cup of water to someone is an amazing chance to connect with a customer, but the reality is that attaching drains to 20,000 condiment bars would cost about a billion dollars.

i think both are realistic reasons on why not to do it.

what other cool lid options are out there?
is there really a spill proof lid from BK?
i'm with barista boy on reuseable tumblers, or mugs - i know it's not always an option.

[LibrarianNYC]

I've found after much experimentation, if you place the lid mouth opening on the seam of the cup you wont get that awful drippy lid syndrome on your hand when walking with your coffee. Why they always place the opening opposite the seam is beyond me, I guess I spend too much quality time with my starbucks cups...

[LibrarianNYC]

ohh this technique requires you to tilt the cup ever so slightyly away from you while walking... that way your coffee dosent drip out of the opening as well.

This is obsurd we are even having this conversation. You pay $4 for a latte and the provider can't spend a couple cents on necessary packaging. Last time I checked - coffee stains. Next time you buy one demand a solution - there are several to choose from!

LibrarianNYC, I have to disagree. I think that when the lid is like that, it's the worst. The seam starts to leak, and the lid pops off.

[Hirayuki]

Starbucks in Japan put their own green Siren-topped "stixtogo" in the lids of takeout cups. Even better, they're full-length stirrers. I couldn't resist taking one home with me the first time I saw it. Other coffeeshops in Japan use stickers as a matter of course (if their lids don't already close somehow). This may be because they also tend to put takeout drinks in *bags* for you to carry.

Then again, I've never had a problem with anything spilling even without these safeguards. Maybe you guys have a drinking problem (see: "Airplane!"). ;)

[Tony]

Librarian, opening for coffee goes opposite the seam. The seam is a flex point and those lids just don't flex. I discovered this problem (and solution) at another place I have gotten coffee, although they use a thin foam cup.

And another thing, Starbuck's just doesn't want people buying coffee, they want you buying that glass of milk with a bit of coffee in it for $4. I hate that they are always changing their drip coffee and at times, it is a random change (one day in mid-week), but they use their "espresso blend" for the cup-of-milk drinks. I really can't believe people pay 4 dollars for a hot glass of milk.

they wouldn't use espresso for mild....

we do COD daily (hence the name). If you are grinding say, Sumatra for "whole Bolds" and you finish the bag, but you're only half way done, and you notice a bag of Sulawesi that was opened 4 days ago, you're going to start grinding that, rather than opening another bag of Sumatra. That's why the coffee changes at random times. We get a coffee of the week, and then they reccomend a mild or bold (whatever the other one isn't) and a decaf. Our store doesn't follow the two latter suggestions; just the actual cow, and then grind what we have open. But when I do it, I avoid Breakfast Blend like the plague, because it tastes like Swass.

[Eli]

No its lightnote that tastes awful...we have customers going , yuk! I have never seen such revoltion to a coffee as lightnote.

There is no such word as revoltion.

[NYCKevin]

Randy, I have no idea if it's the same production company, but those "stix" are available on all condiment bars in Japan...good for us, huh?

and btw, whats soooooo wrong about using the double lid technique?

[BouncingBarista]

I'm always careful about putting the opening opposite of the seam, because it does seem to spill more when the lid and seam line up. i had a regular who'd constantly do this when i handed him his drink, so i asked him once why he did that, and ever since i make sure i slide the lid around for people before handing them their coffee. :)

[cornfrost]

In my experience, it's Sidamo that some people dislike.

Also, we have flat lids and sip lids, as I assume everyone does. Sometimes people want both, and the sip lid fits atop the flat lid, you know. You can turn it upside-down, and it won't spill.

you assume incorrectly.

most starbucks don't have the duel lid. they have the dommy one.

just FYI

[JustABarista]

I feel really sorry for somebody that can't like Sidamo. That's just, well, it just makes me sad. It's such a good coffee.

[Trudy]

I agree. I sent an email complaint about their lids too. The totally suck. I NEVER had a beverage that did not leak.

[Baristaboy]

Okay.. once again for all you who are continuously complaining about the lids at Starbucks and "insisting" that the company spend more money on the lids when you purchase your $4 latte... scroll up. BUY A REUSABLE MUG. Lets review... #1) you save $.10 each time you use it. 2 cups of coffee a day during a 5 day work week... you've SAVED $52. #2)Contribute to the environment... Yes, I know, it is a novel approach but one less cup that is mashed up and thrown out your drivers window because you spilt it on yourself because you were too dang lazy to buy a reusable... = trash on roads, etc. etc. etc.#3) THE LIDS have spill guards. REALLY it is TRULY amazing the amount of people who want things handed to them. (some of them even want it with closing latches on the lid & a little sleeve to protect your delecate hands from the "HOT" coffee AND the lid not matched up with the seem on the side.) If you would stop for ONE second and put as much energy in thinking this through as you have in complaining and griping and sending emails demanding change... this blog would not be nearly as long as it currently is... Unless there are more idiots out there than I am given to believe. :) Love you all!

[Tony]

Wait a minute BaristaBoy... Wait one cotton-pickin second! :-)

Why shouldn't a customer paying 4 dollars for a latte (or 2 bucks for ONE cup of coffe get it their way?). To suggest that people SHOULD just buy a re-fillable mug to make up for a shoddy lid is ridiculous. The lid has a purpose; to tell the customer to go buy a cup (nice marketing move?) to have a working lid is out of line. Further, I don't want to deal with washing a cup out and neither do a lot of other people and as customers, that is our prerogative and what we pay for (I mean really, a $4 cup of milk with a shot of coffee in it?

Tony is right on! Last time I checked I was on the payment side of the counter - that's known as "the customer". The last thing I want to do is drag my coffee stained mug around work all day just because a coffee provider didn't want to fork out 2 cents from my $4 I just gave 'em to stop it from leaking. You are right baristaboy, this blog wouldn't be nearly this long if the problem was addressed!

A quick search of the internet comes up with caps, stixtogo, and at least 3 different lid solutions to choose from. Feel free to pick one. Charge me $4.02 if you must!

[sbuxmanager]

This whole the customer is always right complaint is bullshit. People pay hundreds and/or thousands of dollars for plane tickets only to sit like a sardine in a can, be treated poorly by overpaid waitresses while watching awful movies and eating sub-edible "food" which now they have to pay EXTRA for. Is this right? Of course not. But it's life. So is the lid. It's one of life's small inconveniences. It sucks and it should be better. Maybe one day it will be. In the meantime, use the more than adequate substitutes (flat lid, both lids, reusable cup, etc) and deal with it. Life is hard. Get a f**king helmet.