Cardboard Cups With Lids

One Cup and Lid Set for More Than Coffee

Most people picture coffee when they see a cardboard cup with a lid. In practice, the same matched set ends up carrying a lot more: fountain soda at a burger stand, fresh-squeezed lemonade at a fair, a smoothie from a juice bar, two scoops of ice cream for the drive home, a side of queso at a taco truck, even a pint of soup. Buying cups and lids as a set means the rim and lid are made to fit each other, so you are not guessing whether a lid from one supplier will snap onto a cup from another.

That fit is the whole reason to buy them together. A cup that leaks at the lid ruins a car seat, a delivery bag and a customer's opinion of your shop. We make cardboard cups from 4 oz to 24 oz with lids designed for each size, in food-grade SBS, kraft or PE-coated paperboard from 250 to 380 gsm.

Which Lid for Which Drink or Food

We offer sip lids, dome lids, flat lids and lids with straw slots. Paper lids and BPA-free plastic lids are both available, and you can print on cups and lids. Here is how buyers usually pair them across a mixed menu:

Cold drinks are the area where cardboard cups need the most care. A cup of ice sweats, and plain board can soften over a long drive. Ask for a moisture-resistant outer coating on any cup that will hold iced drinks, and choose a heavier board for 20 and 24 oz sizes, since the weight of a large soda puts more stress on the base.

If you only serve hot drinks and want cups designed around that, our cardboard coffee cups focus on wall types, sleeves and heat comfort.

Small Sizes With Lids

A lot of buyers look for small cardboard cups with lids, and they are useful in places you might not expect. A 4 oz cup with a flat lid makes a clean portion for salsa, dressing or syrup in a takeout order. The same cup with a sip lid holds an espresso shot or a kids' warm milk. An 8 oz cup with a flat lid is the classic single scoop of ice cream to take home.

The smallest sizes have the least print area, so a simple logo on the lid often does more than a busy cup wall. For the full set of small options, including tasting and portion sizes, see our small cardboard cups.

Printing Cups and Lids as a Pair

When both pieces are printed, they should look like they belong together. A few tips:

• Use the same PMS color on cup and lid so the set matches even though the materials differ.
• Print your full design on the cup wall and a simple mark on the lid, since the lid has a small, partly molded surface.
• Add a social handle or QR code on the cup wall, low enough that a hand does not cover it.
• For a multi-use menu, keep the design general. A cup that says "coffee" looks odd holding lemonade.
• Kraft cups with black print look natural for juice bars and farm stands; white cups with full color suit soda fountains and ice cream shops.

CMYK suits full-color art, PMS holds exact brand colors, and gloss, matte or spot UV finishes give different looks. Gloss helps cold cups shed condensation without the print looking blotchy.

Storing and Using a Mixed Cup Range

A mixed menu means more sizes and more lids, which is where mistakes creep in. Label lid bins by size and keep them right under the matching cups. Store everything dry and off the floor, especially cold-drink cups, since humid storerooms can affect how snugly lids fit.

It also pays to decide early which items share a cup. A 12 oz cup that holds coffee in the morning, lemonade at lunch and a scoop of ice cream in the afternoon cuts the number of cartons in your storeroom, but only if it has the right coating for cold and the right lids for each use. Write down which lid goes with which item and tape the list above the lid bins for new staff.

For takeout and delivery, cups with lids pair well with a carrier or a bag that keeps them upright. Ice cream and soup cups should travel flat in the bag, not on their side.

Ordering Cardboard Cups With Lids

1. List everything that will go in the cups: hot drinks, cold drinks, ice cream, sides.
2. Choose sizes from 4 oz to 24 oz and a lid type for each.
3. Send your logo for the cups and, if wanted, the lids. Free design help is available.
4. Get a digital proof and free samples to test the lid fit with your own drinks.
5. After approval, production takes 4 to 6 business days, with rush options available.

The minimum is 100 units, and different cup sizes with matching lids can go in one order. Shipping is free to the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia. More cardboard options are in our cardboard cups category.