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When choosing what sorts of dishes to offer your customers, you have two major choices: durable, which includes ceramics, and disposable. Although on the surface it seems like a simple choice, there are many issues to consider when you are deciding whether to go disposable or durable. The decision whether to use paper and plastic cups is one facet of the dishware conundrum that your company may be facing. Paper and plastic cups can offer you a number of benefits, such as turning your customers into walking advertisements for your store; however, these disposable dishes are not without their dodgy downsides.
Benefits
Using paper and plastic cups instead of items that are not disposable can help you make your business more productive.
Time saving
Use paper and plastic cups to save time. If you use ceramic cups, you will need to wash them after each use. This will take time that you may be better off investing in other aspects of your business.
Easy to obtain
Though most multi-use cups must be purchased from restaurant supply stores, you can also buy paper and plastic cups in bulk at wholesale clubs, paper supply stores, and party equipment stores.
Inexpensive
When you use ceramic cups, you pay for more than just the cup. When you wash the cups, you pay for water, heat, soap, and the time of the worker who washes the cups. If you invest in a dishwasher large enough for business use, you should calculate how much the cost of that item is when divided among all of the cups you expect it to be able to wash in the course of its useful life.
Short-term investment
If you are having trouble obtaining credit for your business, or if you can’t secure a business loan, paper cups allow you to purchase just the number that you need each week. This may be more feasible than investing a large amount of money in permanent cups before your business has begun to show a profit.
Branding opportunity
Using paper cups allows you to take advantage of a branding opportunity for your business. Many companies that sell paper products for business use will print or imprint your logo, motto, and even location and contact information on disposable cups. That means that every customer who leaves your establishment is effectively a walking advertisement.
Versatile
Paper and plastic cups can be used for many types of products, including cold drinks, fries, snack mixes, and other single-serving goods. According to CupDepot.com, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) cups can hold items ranging in temperature from -22 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. This protects your customers from dangerous temperatures and protects your business from possible liability issues.
Pitfalls
Paper and plastic cups are a convenient way to serve drinks and other liquids to your restaurant’s clientele, particularly if you operate a quick-service facility. Despite the convenience, there are a few disadvantages to using these common restaurant supply items.
Bad for the environment
Many paper and plastic cups are recyclable. Approximately 80 percent of Americans have access to recycling facilities. However, disposable cups end up in landfills more often than not. When the cups decompose, they may leech toxic chemicals into the ground and water. This can lead to the poisoning of marine life and other animals.
Increased waste
The use of paper and plastic cups generally leads to increased amounts of waste in your restaurant. Unlike regular cups that can be washed and reused, disposable cups must be thrown away to comply with public health laws. This means more waste in your trash bins and more money spent disposing of it.
More expensive to brand
Generic disposable cups are typically cheap to purchase. However, it can be expensive to brand the cups with your company’s information. Depending on the type of design you want, the supplier may require you to purchase paper and plastic cups made from special materials that can be imprinted. Additionally, it may be more difficult to recycle disposable cups made from those materials or because of the ink used to print on them.
Scare away some customers
Many people are concerned about the environment and climate change. As a result, they are doing everything they can to reduce their consumption and waste. Using disposable cups in your business may scare away people who do not want to support businesses that engage in practices they perceive as wasteful. Alternatively, they may not order items that require disposable packaging, which can result in reduced product sales.
Pricing
Paper and plastic cups are important supplies for restaurants that offer takeout beverages. In fact, the Alliance for Environmental Innovation reported that Starbucks used approximately 2.3 billion paper cups in 2006. Since these items can’t be reused, they are a recurring expense that must be included in your budget. The price you will pay for these items depends on a variety of factors, including the quality of the cups and whether you plan to brand them.
Paper cups are usually slightly less expensive than plastic cups. You can expect to pay slightly more per cup if you plan to offer cups that contain post-consumer materials; however, cups that have a composition high in post-consumer materials may leak.
You can also expect to pay more if you are going to brand your products. Printing fees and set-up fees are usually charged if you opt to brand the cups. The price you pay for these services varies from one company to another.
Conclusion
Paper and plastic cups are great options for your business if you want to clean fewer dishes, stock up cheaply, and possibly spread the word about your company through branding. However, there is a trade-off between less dishwashing and increased quantities of garbage to deal with. Additionally, there are environmental concerns to consider if your company chooses to use paper and plastic cups, and these concerns may even drive away customers. Choosing between durable and disposable cups for your business is not a decision to make lightly, so be sure you examine all the benefits and pitfalls associated with both cup types.
Are you shopping for paper and plastic cups? Whether you are selling drinks or supplying cups for employees, you want a quality product at an affordable price. A great deal of vendors exist in this area which makes the selection vast, but also competitive.
There are eco-friendly cups, espresso cups, insulated cups, party cups and many, many other variations available. Some cups are disposable and some are reusable. They come in various sizes, colors and styles. You may want to look into all of the options before you make your selection.
From water to coffee, whatever your drink of choice is, there is a cup that is suitable for your business needs. Different vendors offer different options when it comes to purchasing quantity, so there should be an option that works with your budget. A great way to find the paper and plastic cups you want is to thoroughly research the sources provided on Business.com.
You may also be able to find lids and other accessories to go with your cups that may aid in the kind of situation you need them for. Business.com offers a list of companies that provide high quality cups that are sturdy, attractive and affordable. Look though the list of links on the left to find the company that has quality cups you want.
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