The new cups' lines are more than meets the eye

In previous years, the cups featured only black fill lines, but following a redesign in early 2024, they now showcase both black and white fill lines. This enhancement provides better contrast against light and dark beverages, making it easier for baristas and speeding up service for customers. Additional design improvements include standardizing the lids across all three drink sizes and incorporating embossed letters and dots to assist those with low visibility in identifying cup sizes by touch. Similar to the fill lines, Starbucks executives believe these seemingly minor adjustments will enhance efficiency and reduce barista stress during peak hours.
This is just one of several recent changes the coffee chain has implemented to attract customers, including offering nondairy milk at no extra cost and adding an authentic Spanish Basque cortado to their winter menu. Will these updates be permanent? Only time will tell — but so far, the measurement lines have proven to be enduring. Additionally, Starbucks is contemplating reintroducing the practice of writing names on cups after pausing it during the pandemic. And what better spot to do that than on the little black line?
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