On National Coffee Day, An Answer For Why Few Use Refillable Coffee Cups

Chances are, if a place sells coffee, it will give you a discount for remembering your tumbler. But few customers do.

It's national coffee day, apparently, and so time to ponder a question of economics and consumer behavior: If Oregonians return cans and bottles for 5 cent deposits and bring their own grocery bags to avoid paying for paper bags, why don't they use refillable coffee cups?

Some independent coffee shops and every Starbucks in town offers a discount of 10 cents. But Sightline Institute, the Seattle think tank, reports that only 2 percent of customers take advantage of it.

In contrast, 65 percent of Oregon cans and bottles get returned.

"Many coffee shops have tried to promote reusable mugs by offering a 10-cent discount to customers who bring their own cups to the café. Starbucks, Seattle's Best, and Peet's all offer the discount, as do many local coffee shops, like The Hof and Ugly Mug in Portland," Sightline reports. Chances are, if a place sells coffee, it will give you a discount for remembering your tumbler.

But few caffeine addicts are taking advantage.

Spoiler alert: People enjoy the status marker of carrying around paper coffee cups more than they feel guilty about the environment.

Willamette Week

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.