Sick of throwing away your coffee cup every time you finish your medium caramel swirl iced coffee with almond milk? Sick of spending full price for your caffeine fix every single day? Well, you’re in luck. With an increased awareness of the environmental impact of single-use cups (and straws), reusable mugs and tumblers have become increasingly popular for coffee drinkers in Saratoga Springs and the area. Despite some reports that single-use cups aren’t actually better for the environment (they keep waste out of the environment but use more materials and energy to manufacture, and more soap and water to keep clean), businesses across the country are rewarding customers for bringing their own cup to the ordering counter. Here are some deals coffee shops in Saratoga are offering up if you BYOC (bring your own cup).
Saratoga Coffee Traders
A crowd favorite in Downtown Saratoga Springs, Saratoga Coffee Traders is open from 6am-8pm during the week, 7am-8pm on Saturdays and 7am-7pm on Sundays. While the normal price of a 16-ounce iced coffee will put you out $2.34, if you buy any one of the Coffee Traders-branded reusable cups for sale (including a couple options by Klean Kanteen and a cheaper plastic cup and straw), any coffee you purchase—hot or iced—is just $1 every time you return with your reusable mug.
Uncommon Grounds
Uncommon Grounds is a vacation staple for any visitor to Saratoga Springs and a daily must-have for anyone who works Downtown. The coffee giant occupies prime real estate on Broadway (or is it prime real estate because Uncommon is there?) and is open from 6am-10pm during the week, 6:30am-11pm on Saturdays and 6:30am-10pm on Sundays. The regular price of a large iced coffee is $3.15, but with an Uncommon Grounds reusable cup (plastic, porcelain and Klean Kanteen varieties are available), you get 25 percent off any medium or large beverage. If you bring your own cup, not a UG-branded one, you get 15 percent off.
Kru Coffee
Kru Coffee, one of the newer additions to Saratoga Springs’ coffee scene, has quickly become a favorite in the area. The shop is open from 6am-5pm during the week and 7am-5pm on weekends. If you bring a reusable mug when you go for your daily coffee run, you’ll be charged the price of a small coffee, even if your cup holds more than 12 ounces.
SPoT Coffee
SPoT Coffee, located a block from Broadway on Railroad Place, is open from 6am-9pm during the week and 7am-9pm on weekends. If you bring in your own mug, SPoT, like Kru, will charge you the price of a small for whatever drink you ordered. We’d recommend one of their signature lattes!
Starbucks
Although we have so many great independent coffee options in Saratoga Springs, some still love the tried-and-true coffee giant that is Starbucks. The one of the corner of Broadway and Washington Street is open 5am-9:30pm Monday-Thursday, 5am-10pm Friday, 5:30am-10pm Saturday and 5:30am-8pm Sunday. If you bring a tumbler or reusable mug with you, you get 10 cents off your order. Of course, Starbucks has a ton of options for reusable cups available, including mugs that you can order off Amazon for $7.
Dunkin’
Like America, Saratoga also runs on Dunkin’. The New England-based coffee and food chain has different policies at different locations, but at the outpost on South Broadway (which is open 24 hours a day), you’ll get your cup of Joe (hot or iced) for $2.24 if you bring your own reusable cup. That’s 25 cents off the cost of a medium iced coffee.