2oz Paper Cups for Tasters and Samples

Why a 2oz cup exists

Some drinks are meant to be tried, not finished. A brewer at a food fair, a roaster running a tasting or a juice brand at a gym all want people to take one sip and come back for more.

A 2oz cup is sized for that moment. It keeps portions small, so your stock lasts the whole day, and the cup is easy to hold in one hand while the other carries a bag.

Small cups also tidy up a sampling table. A neat row of printed 2oz cups looks far more professional than plastic shot glasses or half-filled larger cups.

Who orders 2oz paper cups

Most buyers are using the cups to give something away. The point is to put a drink in someone's hand and a name in their head.

Coffee roasters use them at cupping sessions, and delis use them to let customers try a new hot chocolate or soup before buying a full portion.

Event planners order them too. A row of printed taster cups at a wedding coffee bar or a product launch adds a finished touch, and guests can try several drinks without waste.

• Coffee roasters at tastings and trade shows
• Juice and wellness shot brands
• Delis and farm shops running sampling days
• Supermarket demo staff
• Restaurants serving a palate cleanser
• Hotels offering welcome drinks at check-in

What fits in 57ml

It helps to know what a 2oz cup can and cannot do. The table shows common uses and how full people usually pour.

If you need a little more room, our 3oz paper cups page covers the next size up.

Printing on a very small cup

A 2oz cup has a short wall, so the print area is small. One clear logo or a name in strong type works far better than a block of text.

Repeat patterns are another good option. A small motif printed all the way round shows your brand from any angle, which helps when cups are picked up from a tray.

We send a free digital proof so you can see the scale on the real template. If your logo is wide, we will suggest a stacked version that suits the cup.

Kraft board softens colours, so on a 2oz kraft cup a dark single colour logo is the safest choice. White board is better if your brand relies on bright or pale shades.

Hot samples in a single wall cup

A 2oz cup is printed as single wall as standard. With so little liquid inside, the outside rarely gets too hot to hold.

For very hot coffee, pour a little below the rim and let staff hand the cups over rather than leaving them on an open tray. That small habit avoids most spills at a busy stand.

Cold samples are even simpler, though chilled drinks can leave the outside damp. White board shows condensation less than you might expect.

Planning quantities for an event

Small cups go quickly at a busy show. People often take two, try a second flavour, or pick one up for a friend.

A simple rule is to estimate the number of visitors you expect to talk to, then add a generous margin. Running out at lunchtime on day one of a three-day show is a common and avoidable problem.

2oz cups nest tightly, so even a large supply fits in a small box. That makes them easy to carry in a car boot with the rest of your stand.

2oz cups and other small sizes

If you are building a small range, it helps to see the sizes side by side. A 2oz cup is for sips, a 3oz cup is for a short serving, and a 4oz cup handles a full espresso.

Some buyers want a small cup for food rather than drinks. For dips, sauces and side portions, our paper portion cups are shaped for the job.

If you plan to stock more than one small size, keep the same artwork on each. A matching set looks deliberate on a counter, and staff can tell sizes apart by height alone.

Ordering printed 2oz cups

Small cups follow the same simple process as every cup we make. You see the design before anything is printed.

1. Tell us how many 2oz cups you need and whether you want white or kraft board.
2. Send your logo in AI, PDF, EPS, SVG, PNG or JPG.
3. We fit it to the small 2oz template and send a free proof.
4. Approve the proof, and printing takes 4 to 6 working days.
5. Your cups arrive by tracked delivery in 2 to 3 working days, free to UK addresses.

Mistakes with sample cups

The most common mistake is sending a detailed logo with a long strapline. On a 2oz cup, the strapline becomes unreadable, so keep it for your banner instead.

Another is ordering cups too close to the event date. Allow time for the proof, 4 to 6 working days of printing and 2 to 3 working days of delivery.

Last, do not forget the brand behind the drink. A plain cup gives your sample away for free, while a printed one keeps working after the sip. Our printed paper cups range shows how other sizes carry the same design.

Using 2oz cups for juice and shots

Cold-pressed juice brands and wellness shot makers often sample at gyms, markets and offices. A 2oz cup is close to the size of a typical shot, so the sample feels like the real product.

Bright full colour print on white board suits juice brands well. For full-size cold drinks, see our printed juice cups in larger sizes.

Keeping a sampling stand tidy

A tasting table gets messy fast. Used cups pile up, drips land on the cloth, and a good-looking stand starts to look tired by mid-afternoon.

Put a small bin at the end of the table, away from the pouring point, so people drop cups as they leave. Refill trays in small batches instead of pouring fifty cups at once, which keeps hot samples warm and cold ones fresh.

Keep a sealed box of spare cups under the table. Once a sleeve is opened outdoors, dust and drizzle can spoil the top cups, and a fresh stack saves you from serving in a marked cup. For a closer look at every small option, visit our mini paper cups page.