Cups (app)

Last updated

Cups (stylized as CUPS) was a mobile app launched in New York City in April 2014. It was a mobile payment and discovery platform for independent coffee shops nearby. [1] The app was active in more than 400 cafes in New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Nashville, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and other U.S. cities. [2]

Contents

History

Cups was founded in Israel in 2012 by Gilad Rotem and four other co-founders, who were all high school friends. [3] [4] The company ran a limited beta pilot in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, featuring 80 locations, from September 2012 until September 2014. [1] [5] Customers received all-you-can-drink coffee at certain coffee shops in Tel Aviv for approximately $45 a month. [5] [6] [7] In October 2013, the founders relocated to New York. Cups participated in the Entrepreneur's Roundtable Accelerator program and went live in New York in 2014, initially working with 50 small coffee shops in Manhattan and Brooklyn. [7]

In early 2016, the company launched 30 locations in Philadelphia in February, [8] followed by 40 more locations in San Francisco in March. [9]

Functionality

The Cups app gave the user a list of the nearest participating coffee shops to their current location. The app user can order a drink using the app and pay the cashier with their phone. The cashier would enter a code that entered the purchase into the app's system. [4] The app also allowed for onboard tipping and food purchases. The company reimbursed the coffee shop and kept a portion of their sales. [7]

In early 2016, the Cups Café Network was launched, using bulk purchasing power to land discounts with service providers which would normally be reserved for larger chains. In this way, the company aimed to help its café partners compete with the larger coffee chains. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starbucks</span> American multinational coffeehouse chain

Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 1971, and is currently the world's largest coffeehouse chain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Cup</span> Canadian coffee shop chain

Second Cup Cafe. is a Canadian restaurant chain, coffee retailer, and roaster. Its headquarters are in Mississauga, Ontario. Its stores sell hot and cold beverages, pastries, snacks, pre-packaged food items, hot and cold sandwiches, and drinkware, including mugs and tumblers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Time Out Group</span> British media and entertainment company

Time Out Group is a British media and hospitality company. Its digital and physical presence comprises websites, mobile editions, social media, live events and markets. Time Out covers events, entertainment and culture in cities around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McCafé</span> McDonalds coffee bar

McCafé is a coffee-house-style food and beverage chain, owned by McDonald's. Conceptualised and launched in Melbourne, Australia in 1993 by McDonald's Licensee Ann Brown, and introduced to the public with help from McDonald's CEO Charlie Bell and then-Chairman and future CEO James Skinner, the chain reflects a consumer trend towards espresso coffees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aroma Espresso Bar</span> Israeli coffee shop chain

Aroma Espresso Bar, or simply Aroma, is an Israeli coffeehouse chain with 162 locations around the country, and several locations in the United States, Canada, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.

WillCall was a San Francisco-based startup company offering a mobile app for iPhone and Android devices that allowed users to gain admission to live concerts, tip artists, and purchase merchandise during a show. It was named one of the Hottest Startups of 2013 by Forbes. Since its inception, the company had become known for editorial curation, a UX driven product strategy, and social networking integration. It had been called "an Uber for nightlife — one that makes everything from attending shows to buying drinks and merchandise much easier," by TechCrunch.

ParkWhiz is an e-parking service that allows users to book parking spaces before reaching their destinations. ParkWhiz headquarters is located in Chicago, Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slyce</span>

Slyce Inc. is a visual search and recognition company headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with operations in New Waterford, Nova Scotia. The company developed image recognition technology that can identify products based on a picture and allow the user to purchase the item on their smartphone. The company has partnered with a number of retailers in the United States and Europe to operate its technology inside their mobile applications, including Neiman Marcus, Best Buy, and Home Depot. The company also operates two other mobile apps, Craves, and SnipSnap.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cofix</span> Coffee shop chain founded in Israel

Cofix is an Israeli coffee shop, bar and supermarket chain established in 2013 by Avi Katz, which uses a fixed price menu system. Most Cofix branches are in city centers, and other popular areas, but some are located in or next to educational institutions, such as Haifa University

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coffee in South Korea</span>

Coffee in South Korea has been a strong element in South Korean culture. Originating in the 19th century, it has become a prominent commodity in South Korean marketplaces. It is one of the most popular beverages in the area.

La Colombe Coffee Roasters is an American coffee roaster and retailer headquartered in Philadelphia. Founded in 1994, the company has cafés in locations including Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Boston, and Washington D.C. In 2023, it was acquired by Chobani for $900 million.

Doorman was a privately held American technology company specializing in logistics services and products. The company managed and operated fulfillment centers and independent driver fleets in densely-populated urban areas, addressing the last mile gap between online retailers and their customers. It also developed, marketed and operated the Doorman mobile app, which allowed consumers to use their iOS or Android-based smartphone to schedule evening delivery of goods purchased online, or arrange pick up of goods intended to be shipped back to an online retailer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heart Coffee Roasters</span> Coffee chain in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Heart Coffee Roasters is a small specialty coffee roasting company with cafes in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was established in 2009 by Wille and Rebekah Yli-Luoma.

Spring was an E-commerce platform that connected retailers and shoppers using a direct-to-consumer sales model. The company, headquartered in New York City, launched its mobile marketplace on August 14, 2014. It raised over $30 million in venture funding by 2015. The platform was recognized by Apple as one of the Best apps of 2014. In October 2018, the membership service ShopRunner announced the acquisition of Spring and closed the platform in 2019.

Boxed, Inc. is an American online and mobile membership-free wholesale retailer that offers direct delivery of bulk-sized packages via the Boxed app or the website. Boxed product offering has been compared to that of Costco. It is based in New York City and was founded in August 2013 by Chieh Huang, Jared Yaman, Christopher Cheung, and William Fong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saxbys Coffee</span>

Saxbys is a certified benefit corporation fast casual restaurant on the eastern United States. Its headquarters are in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It sells coffee, other drinks, and bakery items. Saxbys was founded by Nick Bayer who is the CEO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snappy Gifts</span> Multinational company which specializes in the field of corporate and consumer gifting

Snappy Gifts is a multinational company based in New York. The company, founded in 2015, provides companies with an online system to offer personalized gifts to their employees. As of October 2022, the company also offers an online gifting platform for individual consumers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cashierless store</span> Store that does not contain a checkout

A cashierless store is a store which allows customers to shop their products and leave without having to wait in line and pay at a checkout. Cashierless stores can currently be found in the United States, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

References

  1. 1 2 Melouney, Carmel (2014-04-10). "Would You Pay $85 a Month for Unlimited Espresso?". Wall Street Journal. ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  2. CUPS. "CUPS Locations". CUPS App. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
  3. Griswold, Alison. "Cups: A Coffee Startup Taking on Starbucks". Inc.
  4. 1 2 Konrad, Alex. "Five Startups To Watch From ERA's Winter Demo Day, From Coffee To Cabs". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-07-25.
  5. 1 2 Ungerleider, Neal (2013-05-06). "Cups: The App For Coffee Addicts". Fast Company.
  6. Yarow, Jay. "There's a new app called CUPS that lets". Business Insider. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
  7. 1 2 3 Tabuchi, Hiroko (2014-06-30). "Modern Tools for Mom-and-Pops". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  8. Alderfer, Kelly (2016-01-25). "CUPS App Launching in Philadelphia". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
  9. "CUPS app keeps the coffee flowing with Bay Area expansion". SiliconBeat. 2016-03-30. Retrieved 2016-05-31.
  10. Ha, Anthony (9 July 2015). "Cups Offers Prepaid And Subscription Plans For NYC's Independent Coffee Shops". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2016-05-31.