VANCOUVER CUP FEE 2022 DISPOSABLE CUP CONFUSION CITY OF VANCOUVER- VANCOUVER FOOD AND TRAVEL GUIDE – GUTOM.CA

GUTOM INVESTIGATES

NEW RULES

CITY OF VANCOUVER

DISPOSABLE CUP FEE CONFUSION!

 

There’s a new Cup Fee in Vancouver. This applies to disposable cups and bags in the City of Vancouver (SO FAR). Similar to plastic bag charge at supermarkets and grocery stores, the cup fee is targeted at restaurants, and fast food. The program is designed to reduce waste and encourage reusable cups, bags from customers.

Effective January 1, 2022, a minimum fee of $0.25 much be charged for each single-use beverage cup distributed. Businesses keep the cup fees. Revenue from cup fees is not remitted to the City.

CUP FEE CONFUSION!

Is there a way to avoid the Cup Fee?

It depends on where you go which makes it so confusing and the timing of this new rule is very poor. During this PANDEMIC businesses WILL NOT accept reusable cups!  How a business deals with the cup fee comes down to the individual cashier at McDonald’s or Tim Hortons.

 

In our investigation into the Cup Fee Gutom found:

Cashiers taking the order won’t accept reusable cups at this time.

Some Cashiers know about the new cup fee while others do not. Some cashiers think the money goes to the city.

Some restaurants have signage (McDonald’s) while others like Tim Hortons, do not post anything about the cup fee to customers.

 

Experience when ordering a Small coffee, WITH a reusable cup.

Tim Hortons (108 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0K4) cashier couldn’t take the reusable cup, and instead offered a small coffee for the price of a Small Coffee Refill for  $1.29. No Cup Fee. Total $1.29.

It’s nice that Tim Hortons offered a cheaper deal to make up for the inability to accept the reusable cup.

McDonald’s (86 W Pender St Unit 1001, Vancouver, BC V6B 6N8) on the other hand couldn’t take the reusable cup, and instead offered a small coffee for the Senior coffee price $1.43 with the cup fee .25. Total $1.68.

McDonald’s still applied the cup fee, but to a cheaper priced coffee.

You can ask the employee to waive the cup fee if you show them a reusable cup but it depends on where you go.

When asking the employee at Tim Hortons about the cup fee, they said that the prices are lowered to include the cup fee.

 

25cents is the minimum for a cup fee. Businesses can charge more than 25cents!

Now dealing with the paper bag .15 fee is a whole other issue. When has anyone brought their own bag to McDonald’s?!

UPDATE

Unlike McDonald’s or Tim Hortons, Starbucks does accept reusable cups depending on the location. This one at Boundary Road accepted the reusable mug. A Tall Pike will cost $2.35 with a Cup Discount of 10 cents! The price for a Tall Pike is much more than you’d find at McDonald’s or Tim Hortons.

 

Meanwhile in Burnaby.

No Cup fees in Burnaby, but how are the prices?

McDonald’s at Metrotown (4700 Kingsway #1160, Burnaby, BC V5H 4M1) has Senior Coffee and is $1.43 priced the same as in Vancouver but with NO cup fee.

Tim Hortons at Metrotown (4700 Kingsway Unit #1157, Burnaby, BC V5H 4N2), the employee said they don’t offer a coffee refill option, and only a small coffee which costs $1.53.

 

 

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