Starbucks is once again giving customers an opportunity to own the bear-shaped “Bearista” cup that sparked fights at some of the chain’s coffee shops upon its initial release in early November.
Starbucks had announced the return of the Bearista cups in an Instagram post on Sunday, teasing followers with the “chance” to obtain one of the drinking glasses on Monday via the Starbucks app. But few other details were available.
Come Monday morning, Starbucks app users confirmed the Bearista cups are among the available prizes in the Starbucks for Life Merrython, a promotional sweepstakes and instant-win game offering free Starbucks drinks and other prizes to fans who earn “Prize Play” opportunities in exchange for purchases (or no purchases, if they fill out the online entry form).
The Bearista cups, which retail for $29.95, will be awarded to up to 17,000 players during the promotional period, according to the Merrython’s official rules.
More information on the Merrython, as well as a list of available prizes, can be found in the game’s “official rules” webpage.
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Bearista cups will not be available at physical Starbucks coffeehouses, a representative for Starbucks confirmed to Nexstar. And that might be for the best: The same Bearista cups reportedly caused a few physical fights upon their in-store debut in early November. Viral videos shared to TikTok and Reddit alleged to show people tussling over the bear-shaped glasses, and police in Texas’ Harris County said they had received reports of “several individuals refusing to leave the store and fighting.”
“Deputies are on scene, restoring peace before anyone spilled their latte or lost their teddy bear,” the department shared on Facebook.
On Reddit, users who identified themselves as Starbucks employees also said they had been “harassed” or forced to deal with customer “tantrums” over the lack of Bearista cups at their locations.
Starbucks, in November, issued an apology for the limited supply.
“The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations, and despite shipping more Bearista cups to coffeehouses than almost any other merchandise item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast,” a Starbucks spokesperson said. “We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused.”
