Back in 2018, Dunkin' set an important goal for itself—eliminate the use of foam cups in all its stores by 2020. Well, on Monday (May 11) Dunkin' finally reached its goal. This major change removes about one billion foam cups from the waste stream each year, according to the coffee chain.
"With more than 9,000 Dunkin' Donuts restaurants in the U.S. alone, our decision to eliminate foam cups is significant for both our brand and our industry," Karen Raskopf, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer of Dunkin' Donuts, explained in a statement in 2018. "We have a responsibility to improve our packaging, making it better for the planet while still meeting the needs of our guests. Transitioning away from foam has been a critical goal for Dunkin' Donuts U.S., and with the double-walled cup, we will be able to offer a replacement that meets the needs and expectations of both our customers and the communities we serve."
The double-walled cups Raskopf mentioned in her statement two years have begun popping up in Dunkin' locations and are meant to feel similar to the foam cups customers have grown accustomed to over the years. According to Dunkin's website, the new double-walled paper cup is made with paperboard certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standard, which makes it more eco-friendly than its predecessor, and will feature the re-closable lid that Dunkin’ customers are quite fond of. The new cups will now be used for all of the coffee chain's hot beverages, including coffee, lattes, macchiatos, tea and hot chocolate. These cups also have similar heat retention properties to the foam cup, as well, so beverages will stay hot without burning customers' hands.
Dunkin's next eco-friendly goal is to fully transition to recyclable hot coffee cup lids in U.S. locations by the end of this summer.
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