Update, November 9, 2026: Starbucks has now confirmed the price and the characters. Each Bearista Glass Cold Cup in the Surprise Box costs $39.95, the box holds one of five bears, and coffeehouses will sell you up to two boxes. We've rewritten this post around the confirmed details.
Starbucks' November 9, 2026 press release says the limited-edition Bearista Glass Cold Cup, Surprise Box Edition, arrived at select coffeehouses globally on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, while supplies last. Each cup is hand-blown glass and costs $39.95.
What's in the box
Each Surprise Box hides one of five holiday Bearista characters. Starbucks describes them this way:
- Aspen, the Skiing Bearista Bear: "all about sunrise ski runs and lodge hangs."
- Reiny, the Reindeer Bearista Bear: loves "settling in to watch classic holiday movies."
- Bunny, the Snow Bunny Bearista Bear: changes color with cold drinks, the only bear Starbucks describes that way.
- Joy, the Ice Skating Bearista Bear: a winter dreamer who curates "the ultimate snow globe collection."
- Goldie, the Golden Bearista Bear: "the rarest Bearista of the bunch." Starbucks hasn't published odds.
Every cup comes with a personality card listing the bear's holiday tradition and its signature Starbucks drink order.
The rules: limits and online access
- In coffeehouses: up to two Surprise Boxes per customer, while supplies last.
- Online: Starbucks said a limited quantity would go to Starbucks Rewards Reserve members on the Starbucks Shop starting November 9, 2026, at 1pm ET (noon CT), one per member.
- Starbucks Shop opened to everyone on November 10, 2026, with holiday Bearista hoodies, sweatshirts and T-shirts. The release didn't say whether Surprise Boxes would be sold online to non-Reserve members.
The math on a blind box
At $39.95, two boxes cost $79.90 before tax, and Starbucks doesn't promise two different bears. With five characters and Goldie described as the rare one, you can't buy your way to a specific bear in a store. If you want one particular character, or you want to see what you're paying for first, a blind box is the wrong buy.
It's a good fit if:
- you enjoy the reveal and are happy with any of the four regular bears
- you're gifting a Starbucks fan who collects
- you want Bunny's color change, and you're fine with taking your chances on getting her
Skip it if:
- you'd be disappointed by a duplicate
- you need a commuter cup. It's glass, so it's less forgiving in a tote bag than a stainless tumbler.
Set your walk-away number before you go, and skip resale markups if the fun is the object, not the hunt.
The other dates to keep straight
- December 1, 2026: Starbucks' October 26 announcement says the original green-hat glass Bearista returns to select coffeehouses, while supplies last. That's the one to wait for if you want the known design and not a surprise.
- Red Cup Day: USA Today reports it falls on Tuesday, November 17, 2026. It's a separate promotion from the Surprise Box drop.
Use the Starbucks store locator to find nearby coffeehouses, and call ahead before you go: the boxes launched November 10, 2026 at "select" stores only, while supplies last, so not every location got them and some may have sold out.
Price, characters and limits are from Starbucks' November 9, 2026 press release, checked November 9, 2026. Image: Starbucks.
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