Coffee Cup Sizes: A Size Chart in Ounces for Cafes
By the Avco Boxes team · Updated
Common cafe coffee cup sizes are 4 oz for espresso, 8 oz for a small hot drink, 12 oz for a standard medium, 16 oz for a large and 20 oz for an extra large. Cold drinks run bigger, usually 12 to 32 oz, because ice takes up part of the cup. Most cafes stock three or four sizes of each.
Coffee cup size chart
Cup sizes in the US are measured in fluid ounces. The chart below lists the sizes you will see most often in cafes, with an approximate metric equivalent and the drinks each size usually holds.
| Size | Approx. ml | Hot or cold | Common drinks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 oz | 118 ml | Hot | Single or double espresso, macchiato, tasting samples |
| 8 oz | 237 ml | Hot | Small coffee, cappuccino, flat white, kids' hot chocolate |
| 12 oz | 355 ml | Hot | Standard drip coffee, latte, tea, mocha |
| 16 oz | 473 ml | Hot | Large drip coffee, latte, chai |
| 20 oz | 591 ml | Hot | Extra large drip coffee and lattes |
| 12 oz | 355 ml | Cold | Small iced coffee, kids' drinks |
| 16 oz | 473 ml | Cold | Standard iced coffee, cold brew, iced tea |
| 20 oz | 591 ml | Cold | Large iced coffee, iced latte |
| 24 oz | 710 ml | Cold | Large iced drinks, smoothies, bubble tea |
| 32 oz | 946 ml | Cold | Extra large iced tea, soda, lemonade |
Metric figures are rounded. One US fluid ounce is about 29.6 ml.
Hot drink sizes, from espresso to 20 oz
A single espresso shot is about 1 oz and a double is about 2 oz, so a 4 oz cup holds either with room to spare. The same small cup works for a macchiato, which is espresso with a small amount of milk foam, and for handing out samples.
The 8 oz cup is the classic small. It suits cappuccinos and flat whites, which are traditionally smaller, stronger milk drinks, as well as a small drip coffee or a child's hot chocolate.
The 12 oz cup is the workhorse of most cafes. It is the usual medium for drip coffee, lattes and tea, and it is often the size a customer gets if they don't specify one. The 16 oz cup is the common large, and 20 oz serves customers who want the biggest coffee on the menu.
Whatever the size, leave space at the top. A cup filled to the rim is hard to lid and easy to spill, and drip coffee customers often want room for milk.
Why cold cups run larger
Ice fills part of every cold cup, so the same amount of drink needs a bigger cup than its hot version. That is why the smallest cold size on many menus is 12 or 16 oz and the largest goes up to 24 or 32 oz.
A simple way to plan cold sizes is to start one step above your hot sizes. If your hot lineup is 8, 12 and 16 oz, a cold lineup of 12, 16 and 24 oz, or 16, 20 and 24 oz, gives customers a similar choice once ice is added.
The cup type matters too. Clear cups show off iced coffee, cold brew and layered drinks, while paper cold cups suit fountain drinks and iced tea. The types of cups guide compares them in more detail.
How many sizes should a cafe stock?
Every extra size adds another cup, another lid and another shelf to manage. Most cafes settle on a short ladder:
- Hot: 8, 12 and 16 oz, with 20 oz added if customers ask for an extra large.
- Espresso: a 4 oz cup if you sell shots or macchiatos on their own.
- Cold: two or three sizes between 12 and 32 oz, with 16 and 24 oz being a common pair.
Name your sizes clearly on the menu. Small, medium and large mean different things at different shops, so listing the ounces next to each name avoids confusion at the register.
Lids are worth planning at the same time. Lids are sized to the cup's rim, and some sizes share one. For example, Avco's 12, 16 and 20 oz hot cups take the same dome lid, while the 8 oz cup and the 4 oz espresso cup each have their own. Choosing sizes that share a lid means fewer lid boxes to buy and store.
Printed coffee cups in every common size
Avco prints coffee cups across this whole size range in the USA. Single wall hot cups run 4–20 oz at 700 per case with a 3-case minimum, including the 4 oz espresso size. Double wall hot cups run 8–20 oz at 260 per case with a 5-case minimum. Both are in the hot cups collection.
For cold drinks, custom clear cold cups come in 12, 16, 20, 24 and 32 oz, and paper cold cups run 12–22 oz. Match them with hot cup lids and cold cup lids, sold separately. Every order gets a free digital proof, a one-time $75 artwork setup and 7–10 business days of production after approval. See the full coffee shop packaging range.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most common coffee cup size?
- The 12 oz cup is the most common medium in cafes and is used for drip coffee, lattes and tea. The 8 oz cup is the usual small and 16 oz the usual large.
- How many ml is a 12 oz coffee cup?
- A 12 oz cup holds about 355 ml. An 8 oz cup is about 237 ml, a 16 oz cup about 473 ml and a 20 oz cup about 591 ml.
- What size cup is used for a cappuccino?
- Cappuccinos are traditionally a smaller drink, so 8 oz is the most common cup. Some cafes also offer a 12 oz cappuccino.
- What size is an espresso cup?
- A disposable espresso cup is usually 4 oz. A single shot is about 1 oz and a double about 2 oz, so the cup leaves room to carry it without spilling.
- Why are iced coffee cups bigger than hot coffee cups?
- Ice takes up part of the cup, so cold drinks need more room for the same amount of coffee. Cold cups commonly run from 12 oz up to 32 oz.