The Starbucks holiday “Bearista Cold Cup” that spawned scuffles nationwide a month ago is back — this time as one of the prizes in the Starbucks for Life Merrython launched on Monday.
The instant-win promotion gives Starbucks Rewards members a shot at winning one of 17,000 Bearistas up for grabs, among other prizes. The bounty will be limited to one per person.
The Seattle-based coffee chain teased the cup’s imminent return in an Instagram post late Sunday but did not say how or exactly when. In the seconds-long video, a hand swathed in a black leather glove whisked away four regular Starbucks holiday cups lined up in what looks like a city park to reveal the coveted bear-shaped mug with the cryptic caption, “Your chance is in the Starbucks app. Tomorrow, 12/8.”
Pitching them as prizes instead of selling them at stores may avert the caffeine-fueled chaos unleashed last month when the cup sold out within hours of being introduced. “We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused,” the chain said in a statement at the time.
For fans who want the cup without the drama, long lines or contest consternation can snap up a knockoff from Walmart, which is offering a much cheaper dupe of the coveted cup for as little as $14 rather than the $29.95 the original Bearista was asking.
