Last November, a $29.95 glass cup shaped like a bear caused lines before sunrise, sold out in less than a day and turned up on eBay for hundreds of dollars. Starbucks has now brought the Bearista back with a twist: five new holiday bears sold in sealed “surprise boxes,” so you don’t know which one you’re getting until you open it. One of them, a golden bear called Goldie, is deliberately rare. Here’s what’s in the collection, what it costs, where to buy it and what to watch out for.
Quick answer: The Starbucks Bearista Glass Cold Cup Surprise Box went on sale on November 10, 2026, at select Starbucks coffeehouses for $39.95 in the US (C$49.95 in Canada), with a limit of two per customer. Each sealed box holds one of five hand-blown glass bears: Reiny, Joy, Aspen, Bunny or the rare golden Goldie. Starbucks hasn’t published the odds of finding Goldie. The original green-hat Bearista returns on December 1.
What is the Starbucks Bearista surprise box?
The official name is the Bearista Glass Cold Cup – Surprise Box Edition. Starbucks announced it on November 9 and called it its “biggest Bearista drop yet.” Each box contains one limited-edition cold cup made of hand-blown glass in the shape of a bear, plus a small personality card. The card describes the bear’s “vibe,” its favourite holiday tradition and its signature Starbucks drink order.
The blind-box format is new. Last year’s original Bearista was one design that anyone could see on the shelf. This time you pick up a sealed box and find out which bear you’ve got when you open it, the same approach used by popular collectible toy brands.
Meet the five Bearista characters
| Character | Theme | What Starbucks says about it |
|---|---|---|
| Reiny | Reindeer | A “giddy-up glow-getter” who loves settling in to watch classic holiday movies. |
| Joy | Ice skating | A whimsical skater who dreams of building the ultimate snow globe collection. |
| Aspen | Skiing | An alpine bear inspired by mountain trips and ski runs. |
| Bunny | Snow bunny | A winter wanderer whose glass changes colour when you pour in a cold drink. |
| Goldie | Golden bear | The rarest Bearista in the set. Starbucks hasn’t revealed the odds of finding one. |
Bunny is the only design with a special feature, since its glass shifts colour when it’s filled with something cold. Goldie is the one collectors are chasing, and it’s likely to be the main target for resellers.
Price, purchase limits and where to buy
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Price (US) | $39.95 per box |
| Price (Canada) | C$49.95 per box |
| In-store launch | Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at select coffeehouses |
| Early online sale | November 9 at 1 p.m. ET, for Starbucks Rewards Reserve members via the Starbucks Shop |
| Purchase limit | Two surprise boxes per customer in coffeehouses |
| Characters | 5 (Reiny, Joy, Aspen, Bunny, Goldie) |
| Availability | Limited edition, while supplies last |
Not every Starbucks location carries the boxes, and stores get a limited number. NBC Chicago reported long lines outside Chicago-area stores in the early hours of launch day, with many locations expected to sell out early. If you’re still hunting, call your local store before you go, and ask whether a licensed Starbucks (such as one inside a grocery store or Target) received stock.
Starbucks also opened its online Starbucks Shop to all customers on November 10, with holiday Bearista apparel, including hoodies, sweatshirts and T-shirts.
Why the Bearista is trending again
Searches tied to the launch jumped into Google’s US trending list this week, with more than 2,000 searches in a few hours. The reason is last year’s frenzy.
The original 20-ounce Bearista, a clear glass bear with a green beanie-style lid, went on sale in November 2025 for $29.95. It sold out in less than a day. Shoppers reported stores that had only two or three cups, and some complained that the cups were gone before the doors opened. Resale listings on eBay climbed as high as $500. Starbucks responded that “the excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations,” even though it had shipped more Bearista cups to stores than almost any other holiday item.
Since then Starbucks has turned the Bearista into a series. This year it released a Soccer Bearista, a Pink Bearista inspired by its Pink Drink (launched in July with an early online window for Reserve members) and a Snoopy Glass Cold Cup. The surprise box is the latest, and biggest, release in that line.
Key dates for Starbucks fans this holiday season
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Nov. 9, 2026 | Surprise box early online sale for Rewards Reserve members (1 p.m. ET) |
| Nov. 10, 2026 | Surprise boxes arrive at select coffeehouses; Starbucks Shop opens to all |
| Nov. 17, 2026 | Red Cup Day: free reusable red cup with a qualifying holiday drink, while supplies last |
| Dec. 1, 2026 | The original green-hat Bearista Glass Cold Cup returns to select US coffeehouses |
If you only want the classic bear from last year, you don’t need to gamble on a surprise box. Starbucks confirmed on October 26 that the original design will return on December 1, although it hasn’t promised that every store will have it.
Is the surprise box worth $39.95?
That depends on why you’re buying it. If you simply want a cute, sturdy cold cup and you’re happy with any of the five bears, the price is $10 more than last year’s single cup, and you’re paying for a limited-edition piece with a fun reveal.
If you’re chasing Goldie, think carefully. Starbucks hasn’t said how rare the golden bear is, so there’s no way to calculate how many boxes you might need to open. With a limit of two per visit, buying several boxes adds up quickly. Collectibles also aren’t guaranteed investments. Last year’s resale prices were driven by a sudden shortage, and resale values can fall just as fast once more stock appears.
How to avoid Bearista resale scams
Viral products attract fake listings and counterfeits. A few simple checks help:
- Buy from Starbucks first. The official price is $39.95, so a “Goldie” listed for a few dollars, or a sealed box priced in the hundreds, is a warning sign.
- Be careful with “sealed” boxes from resellers. Since the box is meant to be a surprise, a seller claiming to know what’s inside an unopened box has no way to prove it.
- Use payment methods with buyer protection and avoid sellers who ask for gift cards, wire transfers or payment outside the marketplace.
- Compare photos with the official designs. Knock-off “bear cups” are already listed on marketplaces.
The same tactics show up during big shopping events. Our guide to Black Friday scams to watch for covers more red flags, and our list of Black Friday 2026 sale dates can help you plan the rest of your holiday shopping.
What’s next
Expect the surprise boxes to sell through quickly at many stores, especially in the first week. Starbucks hasn’t announced a restock of the surprise box edition. The next big Bearista date is December 1, when the original returns, with Red Cup Day on November 17 in between. If Goldie follows last year’s pattern, look for “first Goldie” posts on TikTok and Reddit and early resale listings, and remember there’s no official guidance yet on how many exist.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Starbucks Bearista surprise box?
Each box costs $39.95 in the US and C$49.95 in Canada. It contains one hand-blown glass cold cup and a character card.
What are the five Bearista surprise box characters?
Reiny (a reindeer), Joy (an ice skater), Aspen (a skier), Bunny (a snow bunny whose glass changes colour with cold drinks) and Goldie, the rare golden bear.
What are the odds of getting Goldie?
Starbucks hasn’t published them. It only describes Goldie as the rarest Bearista in the collection.
How many Bearista surprise boxes can I buy?
In coffeehouses, the limit is two surprise boxes per customer, while supplies last.
When does the original Starbucks Bearista cup come back?
The original Bearista Glass Cold Cup, with its green hat, returns to select US Starbucks coffeehouses on December 1, 2026.
Sources: Starbucks press release (Nov. 9, 2026) and Starbucks Canada; NBC Chicago; Quartz; Men’s Journal; Yahoo Shopping; FoodBible; Flavorist; USA TODAY and People reporting on the 2025 launch; AOL.
