If you still haven’t been able to get your hands on Starbucks’ coveted Bearista Cold Cup, the coffee giant is giving us one more chance before the year’s up. In a recent press release (and several cryptic Instagram posts), Starbucks announced that it’s releasing a “surprise” collection of Bearista Glass Cold Cup characters in U.S. coffeehouses on Nov. 10. (Characters — that means, more than a bear?) The Glass Bearista Cold Cup – Surprise Box Edition will hold one mystery glass cold cup and will, of course, be available in limited quantities while supplies last. May the odds be ever in your favor.
A year of viral Bearista cups
Starbucks knows how to put us in a chokehold for collectible glassware. All year, they’ve been trolling fans with limited-edition Bearista merch.
In July, Starbucks released a fun, summer-themed Pink Drink Bearista Cup complete with a pink hat and strawberry straw topper. Then, just weeks before fall officially started, the brand dropped an exclusive Peanuts collection on Sept. 15 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. The star of that 10-piece collection was a Snoopy Glass Cold Cup wearing a pumpkin-colored beanie and a Woodstock straw topper.
The return of the original green-hat Bearista
If you’d rather not gamble on what “character” you’ll get in the new mystery boxes, the original Bearista Glass Cold Cup (you know, the one wearing the cute green Starbucks beanie) is scheduled to hit shelves on Dec. 1.
But you’ll need to act fast if you want one. Most locations only receive a handful, and hardcore fans start lining up around 4 a.m. However, some baristas have told us that going to a Starbucks inside of a Target or grocery store might give you a better chance of finding one in stock.
While you’re waiting, you can still shop the rest of the seasonal merchandise. Starbucks is launching its holiday menu and the Holiday Village merchandise collection on Nov. 5, followed by the cool-toned Winter Wonderland Collection on Nov. 17.
Bear cup alternatives that won’t require a 4 a.m. wake-up call
If you refuse to fight for your life in a Target parking lot just to buy a cup, the market for lookalikes is booming. Frustrated fans on Reddit are already bragging about finding similar glass cups at stores like Aldi for just $5, or cute animal alternatives at Flying Tiger for a few bucks.
If you want the aesthetic delivered straight to your door, Amazon has plenty of alternatives. To be crystal clear: these are not official Starbucks cups, but they will give you the same look without the early morning lines and mayhem. Just remember to double-check shipping times and photo reviews before checking out.
