Paper Cups For Hot Drinks

What Makes a Paper Cup Right for Hot Drinks

Any lined paper cup will hold a hot drink for a minute. A cup made for hot drinks has to do more: stay stiff when it is full of near-boiling water, keep the outside cool enough to hold, keep its seam and base sealed for as long as the drink lasts, and not soften at the rim where the lid sits. Those four things come down to board weight, wall construction and the inner lining.

Our paper cups for hot drinks are made in white SBS, kraft and colored board from 10pt to 20pt, in sizes from 4 oz to 32 oz. They are used by cafes, tea shops, bakeries, restaurants, office pantries, hotel breakfast rooms and caterers serving coffee, tea, cocoa, cider, chai and broth.

When buyers search for "heat proof" or "heat resistant" paper cups, what they usually want to know is whether the cup will feel too hot to hold. That is a question of wall type more than anything else.

Single, Double or Ripple Wall

The wall is the part of the cup between the drink and the hand. More layers and more air in the wall mean a cooler outside and a hotter drink for longer. Here is how the three common builds compare:

Single wall is the lightest and takes the least storage space. It is the right pick for drinks that cool fast, like a short espresso, or for cups that come with a sleeve. If that suits your menu, our single wall paper cups cover that build in more depth.

Double wall is the everyday choice for takeaway hot drinks. Ripple wall costs a little more but feels noticeably cooler and gives a good grip, which customers notice on a cold morning with gloves on.

Small Cups for Hot Drinks

Small hot cups get searched for a lot, and they have their own needs. A 4 oz cup is the usual size for espresso, a macchiato or a free taster of a new roast. A 6 oz cup suits a short tea or a kids' hot chocolate. Because small cups hold less liquid, the drink cools faster, so single wall is often enough. The exception is a hot tasting at an outdoor event, where a double wall cup keeps fingers comfortable.

For tasting flights and espresso bars, see the 4 oz paper cups page for sizes and lid options.

Printing and Finishes for Hot Cups

Heat does not harm the print on the outside of a lined cup in normal service, so you can treat a hot cup like any other print job. Design choices still matter:

• On double and ripple wall cups, the outer layer is what gets printed. Ripple texture breaks up fine lines, so use bold shapes and larger type on ripple cups.
• Keep the rim area simple, since the lid and the customer's lips cover it.
• Add a short "Caution: contents hot" line if your insurer or local rules ask for it.
• Kraft cups look warm and natural for tea houses and bakeries. White cups show full color best.
• Soy- and vegetable-based inks are available if you want lower-impact printing.

CMYK, PMS, single-color and multicolor printing are all options. Gloss, matte and spot UV finishes change how the cup looks on the counter. Matte feels nice in the hand and hides fingerprints; gloss makes colors stand out.

Serving Hot Drinks Safely and Smoothly

Fill hot drinks a little below the rim so the lid seats without pushing liquid out. Press lids on evenly all the way around. For very hot drinks like fresh tea, a lid with a small vent hole lets steam out and cuts down on lids popping up.

Store cups in a dry room, away from the steam of espresso machines and dish areas. Damp board loses stiffness, and that is when a hot cup starts to feel flimsy. Keep a small stack at each station and refill often.

If you serve hot drinks in a self-serve setting like an office or hotel lobby, the setup is a little different. Our disposable hot cups for coffee stations cover that use, with notes on sizes for break rooms and waiting areas.

Ordering Hot Drink Cups

1. Pick the sizes on your hot drink menu, from espresso up to large.
2. Choose single, double or ripple wall for each size.
3. Send your logo and any text. Our design help is free.
4. Approve the digital proof. Free samples are available so you can test a cup with your hottest drink.
5. Production takes 4 to 6 business days after approval, and orders ship free to the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia.

The minimum order is 100 cups per design, with discounts on bigger runs. You can see every wall build side by side in the paper cup structures category.