Ice Cream Paper Cups

The Cup Behind Every Scoop That Isn't on a Cone

At most scoop shops, a good share of customers ask for a cup instead of a cone. Parents order cups for toddlers, adults want toppings that would slide off a cone, and anyone eating in a car picks a cup. That makes the ice cream cup one of the most handled pieces of packaging in the store, and one of the best places to put your name.

Our ice cream paper cups are made for scoop shops, gelato bars, frozen yogurt stores, dessert parlors, food trucks, and event caterers running a sundae bar. They come in 3 oz, 5 oz, 8 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz and 20 oz, plus custom sizes, in white SBS or kraft paper. A moisture-barrier lining keeps the cup firm as the ice cream softens, so the wall does not go limp halfway through a sundae.

Sizing Cups to Your Scoops

The right cup size depends on your scoop and how much topping you add. Ice cream sits above the rim in a mound, so the cup holds less than its capacity suggests. Use this as a guide, then test with your own scoop before ordering.

Self-serve frozen yogurt shops usually stock one or two large sizes, since customers fill by weight. Scoop shops do better with three sizes that match their small, medium and large. Gelato bars often go smaller and more upright to show off the shape of the portion, and they tend to pair the cup with a flat paddle spoon.

Open cups are for eating right away. If customers take ice cream home or you sell pre-packed pints from a freezer, you will want ice cream paper cups with lids instead, so the product travels and stores without frost getting in.

Designing for a Cold, Wet Surface

Ice cream cups face a challenge that coffee cups do not: condensation. A cold cup in a warm shop gets damp on the outside, and that affects how the print looks and feels.

• Choose gloss or a moisture-resistant coating if your shop is warm or your customers eat outdoors. Matte paper can darken where it gets wet.
• Use bright, saturated colors. Pastels look great on white board but can wash out on kraft.
• Print flavor names or a pattern instead of a busy photo. People see the cup from above, so a strong rim band shows more than small art lower down.
• Keep your logo near the top half, where hands are less likely to cover it while holding the cup.
• Consider printing the inside of the cup. A message on the bottom shows up as the ice cream disappears, and kids love finding it.

CMYK printing works well for playful, multicolor art. PMS keeps a signature color, such as a strawberry pink or mint green, consistent across cups, spoons and signage. Spot UV can pick out your logo with a bit of shine on a matte cup if you prefer that look for indoor service.

Running the Freezer Case and the Counter

Keep cups in a dry storage area, not in the walk-in freezer, unless you are pre-scooping. Board that moves in and out of cold storage picks up moisture. At the counter, keep a short stack by each dipping cabinet so staff do not reach across the case.

Pre-scooping for an event is easier with the cups pre-chilled for a few minutes so the first layer does not melt on contact. Set filled cups in a tray in the freezer and pull them as needed.

Watch the rim during a rush. A cup that is overfilled with soft-serve or froyo gets sticky on the outside, and the next customer touches it. Train staff to wipe the rim with a clean cloth before handing it over, and set the scoop on top rather than pressing it down, which keeps melt off the outside of the cup. For warm afternoons at outdoor events, smaller cups move faster and melt less in the hand.

Pair cups with spoons in the same color as your brand, and with napkins. For cone-heavy shops that also sell cups, matching printed sleeves for ice cream cones give both serving styles the same look at the window.

Ordering Ice Cream Cups

1. Scoop your own product into a sample cup and decide on sizes. We can send free samples for this.
2. Pick white or kraft board, and gloss or matte finish.
3. Send your logo and any flavor art. Our design team can lay it out free of charge.
4. Approve the proof. Production starts right after, and takes 4 to 6 business days.
5. Your cups ship free to the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia.

Orders begin at 100 units per design, with price breaks as quantity rises. Buying ahead of summer is smart, since the busy season fills up fast. See the rest of the range in our custom ice cream cups category.