What was supposed to be a cheerful start to Starbucks’ holiday season turned into a nationwide scavenger hunt, and in at least one Texas store, a full-blown meltdown.
The culprit is a $29.95 Glass Bearista Cold Cup — a limited-edition, teddy bear–shaped cup with a tiny green beanie lid that has sent multitudes of Starbucks fans into a frenzy when it dropped as part of the Starbucks’ 2025 holiday menu.
The cup sold out almost instantly when it arrived in Starbucks shops. Within a few hours, videos flooded TikTok and Instagram of empty displays, long lines, and disgruntled customers clutching lattes but no bears.
Things got so heated that in Harris County, Texas, local police were reportedly called to a Starbucks after tempers flared and customers refused to leave. According to KHOU 11, the dispute began when several people started arguing over the few remaining Bearista cups.
Starbucks later confirmed in a statement that the rollout had “exceeded even our biggest expectations.” In an email to FOX Business, a company spokesperson said, “We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused.”
The spokesperson added that Starbucks had shipped more of the cups “than almost any other merchandise item this holiday season,” but even that wasn’t enough.
Across social media, fans shared stories of 4 a.m. wakeups and cross-town drives, all for nothing.
To make matters worse, resellers quickly started listing them online for over $100, with some cups being spotted on eBay being listed for as high as a whopping $50,000.
Part of the madness comes down to timing. Starbucks’ annual holiday drop has become its own tradition — peppermint mochas, red cups, and collectible merch that disappears faster every year. But this Bearista cup was different.
It wasn’t just festive; it was adorable. Glass, bear-shaped, topped with a beanie, it’s a combination that looks straight out of Pinterest.
The Bearista chaos is a sign of how much Starbucks’ merch drops have become cultural events, somewhere between coffee run and a limited sneaker release.
Most Starbucks stores were unprepared for the demand, but fans probably saw it coming. Every holiday season, the brand finds a way to blend caffeine, collectibles, with a little chaos, and somehow, that combination keeps people coming back year after year.
Just maybe next time, everyone can get their bear without a police report.