When you are organising an outdoor event, the supplier list fills up quickly. Food, signage, seating and a plan for wet weather all need attention. Cups can seem like a small detail until the drinks queue starts forming.
Whether it is a community market, food fair, sports day or staff barbecue, refreshments are part of the experience. Guests need drinks they can carry comfortably, and your team needs supplies that are easy to use throughout the day.
Choosing cups early gives you time to check quantities, lid fit and presentation, as well as what happens to the packaging afterwards. These six checks will help you prepare.
1. How Many People Are You Serving?
Start with expected attendance, then estimate how many guests will use your drinks service and how many drinks they are likely to have.
A short morning event with one coffee break will have different requirements from a full day of activities. If several vendors are selling drinks, your stand may serve only a proportion of the crowd.
For example, if you expect to serve 200 people two drinks each, with a fresh disposable cup for every serving, your starting requirement is 400 cups. Add a reserve that reflects uncertainty in attendance, event duration and the possibility of small losses during service.
That is a planning example, rather than a fixed allowance per guest.
Calculate each cup size separately and include tea, hot chocolate or cold drinks that use the same format. If reusable drinkware is part of the setup, account for that too.
Our guide to how many coffee cups to order explains how to turn expected usage into an order quantity.
2. Are the Cups Suitable for Your Drinks?
Choose cups around the menu you intend to serve.
Coffee, tea, hot chocolate and cold refreshments can have different requirements. Check suitability for the specific drinks, serving temperatures and portion sizes before ordering, rather than assuming every cup will work for everything.
Our double wall compostable cups include double wall options for hot drinks, providing an additional layer between the drink and the customer’s hand.
Keep the number of cup sizes manageable. A focused menu with clearly agreed portions can make service easier, particularly when staff are working in a temporary space.
For drinks with foam, cream or other toppings, check the finished serving with its lid fitted. Leave enough room for the drink to be handed over and carried comfortably.
You can explore our takeaway cup options when deciding which formats suit your event.
3. Have You Got Matching Lids?
A lid that almost fits can become a problem during a busy service.
Order matching compostable lids alongside your cups and confirm compatibility before the event. The cup’s brim diameter matters, so choosing a lid by drink size alone is not enough.
Brief staff on which lid goes with each cup and keep the combinations together at the drinks station. This reduces confusion when several people are preparing orders.
Consider how guests will carry their drinks too. Someone collecting refreshments for a group may need a suitable carrier, while visitors walking around the venue may want a lid.
Plan lid quantities around how drinks will be served. Keep a reserve where needed, without automatically adding a lid to every order.
4. Can You Set Up a Suitable Waste Station?
Even with compostable cups, what happens after the drink matters.
Before arranging bins, check with the venue and waste collection provider which products they accept and how the material will be treated. Cups intended for industrial composting need appropriate collection and processing conditions.
Use that information to label the bins. If the cup and lid follow different routes, make the distinction clear rather than expecting guests to know.
A practical setup should include:
- Clearly labelled bins that match the agreed collection arrangements.
- Pictures or examples of accepted items where useful.
- Collection points near seating and other places where drinks are finished.
- Someone responsible for checking and emptying bins during the event.
An outdoor location does not make a compostable cup suitable for leaving on the ground. Keep packaging contained, especially in windy conditions, and include a final litter check when the event closes.
5. How Will the Cups Represent Your Business?
Cups are visible on the counter, in guests’ hands and in photographs of the day. Their appearance can help make your drinks service recognisable.
For a company event, market stall or promotional stand, branded coffee cups can carry your logo, colours or event artwork. Keep the business name easy to see and choose one main message rather than filling the space.
Think about leftover stock before committing to a dated design. General branding can remain useful after the event, while artwork tied to a particular day has a shorter life.
Our design service for printed cups can help prepare artwork for approval before production. If you are still considering the visual direction, our article on how branded cups help your business get seen offers ideas for events and everyday service.
6. What Happens If You Need More Stock?
Attendance can change, and demand may be higher than expected. Find out in advance whether additional cups could be supplied within your schedule.
Ask about current availability and delivery timings for both printed and standard stock. Custom orders need time for artwork approval and production, so a late reorder may not arrive before the event.
Our off the shelf compostable cups may be worth discussing as a backup option, subject to availability. If you plan to use them alongside printed cups, confirm the size and lid fit.
On the day, keep spare cartons in a clean, dry, sheltered area close enough for staff to replenish supplies easily. Protect open sleeves of cups from rain, dust and handling by guests.
For the steps involved in a printed order, see our advice on ordering custom compostable cups.
Get the Cup Order Sorted Before Event Week
The right cups help your drinks station run smoothly and give guests a comfortable way to enjoy their refreshments. Confirming sizes, quantities, lids and delivery early leaves fewer details to resolve as the event approaches.
At CupBrands, we can help you compare cup options and prepare branding for your order. Request an event cup quote with your menu, estimated quantities and required delivery date, and we can discuss suitable options.
