CUPS is a
mobile app
A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on ...
that was launched in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...
in April 2014. It acts as a
mobile payment
A mobile payment, also referred to as mobile money, mobile money transfer and mobile wallet, is any of various payment processing services operated under financial regulations and performed from or via a mobile device, as the cardinal class of ...
and discovery platform for independent coffee shops. The app is currently active in more than 400 cafes in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
,
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
,
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
,
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and t ...
,
the Twin Cities, and other US cities. Customers can use the app to find independent coffee shops in their area.
How it works
The CUPS app gives the user a list of the nearest participating coffee shops to their current location. The app user can visit the store, order a drink using the app, and give the cashier their phone rather than cash or a credit card. The cashier enters a code that enters the purchase into the app's system. The app also allows for onboard tipping and food purchases.
Users download the app from the
App Store
An App Store (or app marketplace) is a type of digital distribution platform for computer software called applications, often in a mobile context. Apps provide a specific set of functions which, by definition, do not include the running of the co ...
or
Google Play
Google Play, also known as the Google Play Store and formerly the Android Market, is a digital distribution service operated and developed by Google. It serves as the official app store for certified devices running on the Android (operating sys ...
.
In early 2016, the CUPS Cafe Network was launched, using bulk purchasing power to land discounts with service providers which would normally be reserved for larger chains. In this way, the company aims to help its cafe partners compete with the larger coffee chains.
History
CUPS was founded in
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
in 2012. The company ran a limited beta pilot in
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
and
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
featuring 80 locations from September 2012 until September 2014. In October 2013, the founders relocated to New York. CUPS participated in the
Entrepreneur's Roundtable Accelerator program and went live in New York on April 11, 2014.
In early 2016, the company began expansion around the US, launching in 30 locations in Philadelphia in February, followed by 40 more locations in San Francisco in March.
As of June 2016, CUPS has opened its doors and will consider coffee shops in any US city that are interested in working with them.
References
{{reflist
Wall Street Journal April 2014Forbes April 2014Alley Wire August 2014Pacific Standard October 2014Time Out October 2014
Street Fight Magazine November 2014Time Out November 2014Alley Watch December 2014Immaculate Infatuation March 2015AM New York May 2015
Fox Business News May 2015Brokelyn News June 1015Tech Crunch July 2015US News Money July 2015InStyle Mag July 2015
Mobile applications