Announcing the winner in this semester's Kick the Cup competition!
by Mark H. Anbinder
Cornell Dining launched a Kick the Cup campaign in February, giving all of our coffee shops and cafés a chance to compete against each other to see which outlet could most effectively promote our Beverage Rewards Program and thus most increase its percentage of sales of drinks in reusable mugs.
You probably already know that Cornell Dining’s Beverage Rewards Program means you can benefit twice each time you purchase a beverage using your clean reusable cup, mug, or tumbler: you get a 15% discount on your purchase, and a punch on your punch card! Collect ten punches to earn a reward drink.
Every time you use your reusable beverage container when purchasing a hot or cold drink, you keep a disposable cup and lid from heading for the landfill, and you save money. That’s a win for the environment and for your wallet!
Celebrating Earth Month, we're announcing that the winner of this semester's Kick the Cup competition is Rusty's in Uris Hall! By boosting their sales of beverages served in reusable mugs by 3% compared to last year, the café demonstrated a real commitment to reducing single-use waste.
"Their creative customer outreach helped build lasting habits among customers and showcased how small, consistent actions can lead to meaningful environmental impact," said Cornell Dining Sustainability Coordinator Anna Ben-Shlomo.
The Beverage Rewards Program is just one of the Sustainability initiatives that Cornell Dining is proud to spearhead on campus, along with our Fill It Forward reusable container program, our composting program in conjunction with Farm Services, food waste studies, and food reclamation efforts in partnership with the Food Recovery Network.
About Cornell Dining
Cornell Dining is consistently ranked in the Princeton Review's top ten for best campus food among all colleges and universities in the country! That high rating comes from customer surveys, and reflects Cornell Dining's commitment to serving high-quality foods that are healthy and creatively prepared with genuine care for a diverse community. Cornell Dining operates about 30 on-campus eateries -- which include residential dining rooms, cafés, coffeehouses, food courts, and convenience stores -- and serves more than 23,000 meals a day to members of the Cornell community. For more information, visit dining.cornell.edu.