Starbucks is bringing back its Bearista glass cold cup this holiday season, but shoppers will need to track two separate release dates. The company says the new surprise-box edition arrives at U.S. coffeehouses on November 10, while the original green-hat version returns on December 1 at select stores.
Two cup drops, two different dates
Starbucks announced on October 26 that a surprise collection of Bearista Glass Cold Cup characters will reach U.S. coffeehouses on November 10. According to the company, each Glass Bearista Cold Cup, Surprise Box Edition will come sealed in a mystery box, so buyers will not know which character they received until they open it.
The company describes the November release as a new generation of Bearista glass cold cups, not a repackaging of the original version. Starbucks also said more details would be shared later, but its announcement did not list a price or a full lineup of characters. That means customers looking for a specific design may not get much advance guidance before launch day.
A second date matters for collectors who want the familiar clear glass bear wearing a green Starbucks beanie. Starbucks said the original Bearista Glass Cold Cup will return on December 1 in select coffeehouses. The company also said both Bearista launches will be offered while supplies last, and it did not say that every store will carry them.
That limited-store language is the key difference in how the rollout may feel to customers. A shopper who sees Bearista merchandise in one location in mid-November should not assume the original green-hat cup is already there, or that another nearby store will get the same inventory on the same day.
How the Bearista fits into Starbucks holiday rollout
The Bearista return lands inside Starbucks’ broader 2026 holiday launch. Starbucks said its holiday menu and seasonal merchandise begin arriving on November 5, several days before the surprise-box Bearista drop. That earlier launch includes holiday drinkware and gift items sold in coffeehouses and online through the Starbucks Shop.
The holiday beverage lineup starts the same day. Starbucks said new drinks include the Tiramisu Velvet Latte, available hot or iced, and the Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew. The company also said the Apple Pomegranate Refresher and a Snowy Apple version made with coconut milk are part of this year’s seasonal menu.
Returning drinks include Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Sugar Cookie Latte, and Gingerbread Chai, according to Starbucks. Seasonal food also begins November 5, with the company highlighting a new Bearista Cake Pop, a Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese, and a Turkey & Stuffing Sandwich made with an updated recipe.
For customers trying to keep the dates straight, there is also a separate reusable cup giveaway later in the month. Starbucks said Red Cup Day returns on November 17 at participating stores, when customers who buy a handcrafted holiday beverage can receive a reusable holiday cup while supplies last.
What shoppers should know before heading out
The biggest practical detail is that these Bearista cups are merchandise, not part of a free-drink promotion. Starbucks’ own holiday materials separate the Bearista launches from Red Cup Day, which is tied to beverage purchases at participating stores. The Bearista items are collectible drinkware sold in limited quantities.
Price is still an open question. In the October 26 announcement and the broader holiday merchandise preview, Starbucks did not publish a national 2026 price for either the surprise-box edition or the returning original green-hat cup. It also did not say how many units each store may receive.
That leaves store-specific availability as the main variable. Starbucks has said only that the November 10 mystery-box cups will arrive in U.S. coffeehouses and that the original returns December 1 in select coffeehouses. For shoppers who do not want to make a wasted trip, the safest move is to check with a local store close to each launch date.
The staggered release may help explain why the return is likely to play out unevenly. One date applies to the mystery-box collection, and a later one applies to the original bear cup. For Starbucks customers who collect holiday drinkware, that means watching November 5, November 10, November 17, and December 1 as four separate moments on the chain’s holiday calendar.