The Valentine edition of Stanley ‘Quencher’ Cups were stocked in Target stores across the U.S., Dec. 31 and have skyrocketed off the shelves due to high demand.
Target and Starbucks released a limited variant of ‘Quenchers’ Jan. 3 that paints them pink for Valentine’s Day. This release increased the rave with consumers buying a surplus of Stanley cups aiming to add to their collection. Although it was a gotta-have-it success, it ended up dividing customers and, in some cases, creating physical altercations.
The desire for the new Stanley brand model comes down to their new qualities, including their stainless steel model, varied colors, life-time durability, and the ability to keep your ice cubes whole or your hot coffee steamy for hours, sometimes days.
A TikTok video posted in November showed the remains of TikToker danimarielettering’s car set aflame and charred beyond repair, except her ‘Quencher’ cup that still had an iced drink waiting for her in the cupholder.
The ‘Quencher’ model was popular all year round, but this incident set the precedent of its rave through the new year. With it already being enjoyed for its aesthetic, ‘Quenchers’ were only gaining more fans, and the success it was giving Target stores did not go unnoticed.
“I think they are pretty cool cups,” said Starbucks manager Tabitha Hirneisen, “they are a hot commodity out there, I’ll tell you that much.”
Their quality claim is debated; while the steel durability has proven to be popular, many consumers have complained about issues with the cup’s functionality such as leaking and flimsiness. The online customer service also has its own issues:
“My nephew’s girlfriend has one, and the handle broke off; and the only bad thing is; when you call in and you request to get a new one,… you don’t get the same color; [so] they give you whatever colors they have available.”
— Starbucks employee Tanya Rebelez
There are videos online of consumers lined up outside before-hours, rushing inside, pushing each other to get to the cups.
One video in particular, broadcasted by ABC7, shows customers running around the stand, squeezing between people to get to it, and some come out with multiple cradled in their arms. Some videos even show physical fights breaking out at the display stands.
The crowd had become so out of hand that Target stores put up signs enforcing a “two per guest” rule. However, there hasn’t been any clear sign of this improving crowd control.
“I feel like they should have more stocks [at a time] available, so that way not everybody’s fighting for a cup,” said Rebelez.
The general attitude towards the controversy is the hype for collecting trendy cups feels bizarre.
“I don’t think anyone should reasonably want to stay up all night waiting for a fifty dollar cup and try to resell it,” said Starbucks employee Gabriela Zamora.
