Best Custom Stadium Cups for Bars, Breweries & Drink Specials (Happy Hour, Events, and Take-Home Merch)

Bars and breweries can use custom stadium cups for marketing, as they will turn a normal drink into an advertising opportunity. Customers take the cups home and use them for other things, and they can be used as a marketing tool as they will be seen. The custom stadium cups that bars will want the most are sturdy, stackable, and can be efficiently served. They will also want cups that can be designed with 1-2 colors for the best branding options. You will want a design that can be seen even in the dark.

Shop Custom Stadium Cups: 

Are stadium cups good for bars and breweries?

Yes, bars and breweries can use stadium cups as they will be a good way to promote their business as they can be reused. They will also be great for high serving times and high-volume customers. Stadium cups are a great way to promo the business as they can give the customers something to take home with them.

These work best for:

• Daily and weekly drink specials
• Events with live music
• Beer gardens and brewery patio service
• Sports bars and college bars
• First drink free cup programs and refilling discounts

If you're trying to decide between two custom types of cups.

Custom Stadium Cups vs Custom Plastic Cups: Which One Should You Print? 

Best stadium cup programs for drink specials (what actually works)

The best bar promo is the one that reduces friction at the register and gives customers a reason to keep coming back.

Promoting A: Refill discount cup (greatest repeat visits)

Sell a branded stadium cup once and, when customers return, offer discounted refills!

Why is this successful?

• Customers enjoy the feeling of being “members."
• You receive repeat impressions paired with retention.
• Your cup becomes part of the bar experience.

Promoting B: Event cup (greatest number of experience sales in one night)

Utilize stadium cups in events such as ticketed nights, live music, trivia, and themed parties.

Why does this work?

• Quick lines and quick pours
• Customers quarantine the cup as a souvenir to remember the experience
• It works well for sponsor nights

Promoting C: Limited edition seasonal drop (best merch feel)

Print seasonal art: Oktoberfest / Summer Patio / Holiday Party cup.

Why does this work?

• Customers enjoy the feeling of urgency that comes with acquiring and retaining the product, which is more valuable than the product's discount.
• Customers enjoy the feeling of scarcity when they can “collect” items that not everyone has.
• Customers enjoy posting social media photographs of their merchandise.

What size stadium cup is optimal for bars? The optimal size stadium cup for bars is the one that aligns with most of your pours and maintains service efficiency during peak hours.

Keep this in mind when making decisions.

• If the majority of the orders consist of mixed drinks with ice, select a size that comfortably fits ice + a standard pour.
• If the majority of orders consist of beer service, select a size that aligns with your draft strategy (pints vs larger pours).
• If you run drink specials, pick one “specials cup” and standardize it for the entire menu.

Operations rule: bars should stick with one promo cup size per program. Staff speed and consistency are more important than variety.

Stadium Cups vs Frosted Plastic Cups vs Clear Plastic Cups (use at bars)

It's all about the vibe of the venue and how you want the drinks to look.

• Satin Cups: best for durability and repeat-use programs
• Clear Plastic Cups: best for showcasing the drink so the customers can see the drink and the garnish
• Frosted Plastic Cups: best for a softer, premium look especially for cocktails

If you would like more information, internally you can cite the Comparison

Custom Stadium Cups vs Custom Paper Cups

What should you print on stadium cups for bars and breweries?

One brand element must be big enough to be read 6–10 ft away - name/logo + location/tagline. It should be readable so it’s less about the copy and more on low-light readability.

Biggest print patterns that perform well:

• Bar name (biggest) + icon/mark
• Bar name + city/neighborhood (helps the area become known)
• Brewery logo + “Taproom” + year of opening
• One line tag line, that is easy to remember
• Event series name ("Trivia Night," "Summer Patio Sessions")

If a customer can’t read it, holding a drink it at night, you've lost the print value.

Optimal Logo Positioning for Bars (Visibility and Photo Quality)

When it comes to bars, the best printed logo position is the center of the bar because it will be visible in photos and readable from crowded tables.

Recommended positions:

• Bar tops and event photos: best spot is the center of the top of the bar
• Front bottom large print and back bottom small print: best for sponsorship events and brand collaboration events
• Blank back text: don’t be wordy it will make it look like a flyer cup

If you have drink promotions, you can add a framed text hint:

• Bring this cup back for refill savings
• “Member cup Patio cup”
• (short and clean is best).

Anticipating bar cup orders (don’t want to run out in the mddle of the rush)

1.2-1.8 promo cups per expected participant is a realistic baseline for bar promo cups on event nights. For high occupancy festivals and long outdoor events, you can look at a baseline of 2.0+ cups per participant.

To be avoided in your planning: If you have a “special cup” promo more people will request the cup even if they don’t need one.

Top add-ons for check size increase (without slowing service)

Pair stadium cups with one small add-on that doesn’t complicate service.

High ROI add-ons:

• Custom Coasters (fast, cheap, with bar brand)
• Beer Steins (premium merch for clubs + Oktoberfest nights)

What bars get wrong with promo cups

Promo cups fail to sell bars instead of merch.

Missteps:

• Too small text, broad taglines, excess use of handles
• Low contrast inking that makes the cup looks invisible in the dark.
• Crowded sponsor layouts with no focal point.
• Too many instructions printed on the cup.
• Confusing staff too many different types of cups

Quick planning table

Reality rule: if you promote a “special cup,” customers will ask for it even if they don’t “need” it. Plan for that demand spike.

Best add-ons to increase check size (without slowing service)

Pair stadium cups with one small add-on that doesn’t complicate staff workflow.

High-ROI add-ons:

• Custom coasters (fast, cheap, matches bar brand):
• Beer steins (premium merch for clubs + Oktoberfest nights):

Common mistakes bars make with promo cups

Most bar-branded cups fail because they look like clutter instead of merch.

Avoid:

• Tiny text, long taglines, or too many social handles
• Low-contrast ink that disappears in dim lighting
• Overcrowded sponsor layouts with no hierarchy
• Complicated “special instructions” printed on cups
• Using too many cup types at once (confuses staff)

FAQs:

Can stadium cups be used for drink specials?

Yes. Stadium cups are ideal for drink specials because they stack well, serve fast, and create a consistent “specials” presentation.

Are stadium cups better than clear plastic cups for bars?

Stadium cups are better for durability and repeat-use programs. Clear cups are better when the visual presentation of the drink (color, garnish) is part of the sale.

What’s the best design approach for a bar cup?

Use one bold logo or name in the center and keep supporting text minimal. Readability matters more than extra information.

What if we want a premium Oktoberfest-style merch item?

Add a stein option for premium buyers and keep stadium cups for the fast-moving service program: