Last week, Starbucks dropped its holiday menus and merchandise, sending waves across the internet with its viral, sold-out “Bearista” teddy bear-shaped iced coffee cup.
And this week brings an annual favorite for Starbucks customers. Thursday, Nov. 13, is “Red Cup Day,” a day in November every year during which the coffee chain hands out free reusable red cups with every purchase of a holiday drink (until supplies run out).
But this Red Cup Day, Starbucks’ unionized baristas are striking.
Here’s what to know about Red Cup Day 2025, the Starbucks strike and Starbucks’ holiday drink menu.
Are Starbucks workers on strike?
Some Starbucks baristas are going on strike this Red Cup Day. Starbucks Workers United, which represents employees at approximately 550 unionized stores among the estimated 10,000 U.S. Starbucks locations, voted last week to approve a strike on Red Cup Day due to an ongoing contract disagreement that began in February 2024.
“The union did not disclose how many Starbucks locations would be affected; however, it said that workers in at least 25 cities are planning to strike, with further locations potentially added,” USA TODAY reported on the day of the vote. “The union has cited the large gap in CEO-to-worker pay in their contract demands.”
This is the third time that unionized Starbucks baristas will be striking on a busy day for the coffee chain since the contract negotiation dispute began. On Red Cup Day in 2023, thousands of Starbucks workers at more than 200 stores went on strike, and in December 2024, 59 stores closed for five days ahead of a Christmas rush.
But Starbucks corporate doesn’t seem to be worried about the strike causing a serious issue for Red Cup Day 2025. Starbucks Chief Partner Officer Sara Kelly wrote to employees in a letter, saying that the union represents only a small part of the company’s employees and that its demands were not “serious.”
What day is Red cup Day for Starbucks?
Starbucks’ Red Cup Day 2025 will be on Thursday, Nov. 13. An annual tradition, the chain rewards customers who order select holiday beverages, hot or iced, with a free limited-edition red holiday cup.
There were 945 Starbucks in Florida as of September 2025. Find a location near you on the company’s locations page.
When did the Starbucks holiday menu come out?
The Starbucks holiday menu launched on Thursday, Nov. 6. However, the Chestnut Praline Latte and fan-favorite Eggnog Latte will arrive later in the season, Starbucks told USA TODAY in a statement last month.
What is on the Starbucks Christmas menu 2025?
According to Starbucks, the holiday menu items include:
Starbucks also said its bakery case “will be dressed for the season” as some fan-favorite pastries will be returning, including the Snowman Cookie, Cranberry Bliss Bar, and Sugar Plum Cheese Danish. New additions will include the Polar Bear Cake Pop and Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread.
Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Are Starbucks workers on strike? What to know for Red Cup Day 2025, holiday drink menu
Reporting by Lianna Norman and Samantha Neely, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
