Starbucks Customers in China Are Fighting Over Adorable, Limited-Edition Cat Paw Cups
Whether they're scrawled with purposefully misspelled names or decorated with holiday-themed art, Starbucks cups have a history of causing controversy. But the latest drama tied to the brand has nothing to do with upsetting cup designs—rather, its new cat paw mug is so popular that people are fighting in the store to get one, The Daily Meal reports.
Starbucks in China released its limited-edition cat paw cup on Tuesday, February 26 for 199 yuan (or $30). The double-walled vessel features a clear, rounded exterior and a clear interior shaped like a cat's paw. When coffee is poured into the mug, it fills in the paw and makes it stand out.
Chinese Starbucks stores have sold seasonal merchandise in the past, but few have attracted as much attention as this new product. Released as part of a special Cherry Blossom collection, the mugs were all sold in less than a day. When Starbucks later made an additional 3000 cups available online, it reportedly took less than a second for them to sell out. Scalpers buying the mugs to sell them at a higher price likely contributed to some of the sales. In the video below, two scalpers can be seen duking it out in a Chinese Starbucks over the novelty mug.
Cute special offerings at Starbucks have a tendency to go viral. In spring 2017, the brand released a limited-edition Unicorn Frappuccino that sold out in multiple stores and exhausted baristas who struggled to keep up with the demand.
[h/t The Daily Meal]