What the Bag Is
It is a kraft paper bag with twisted paper handles, printed with the Starbucks siren, in the small size that holds a pound of coffee and a couple of small items. Starbucks moved to charging for retail bags in many US cities after local bag ordinances arrived, and stores now ring the bag up as a menu item when a customer asks for one. Most stores still hand over a bag free with a large purchase; the listing exists for the times they cannot.
| Item | Caffeine | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Small Shopping Bag | n/a | n/a |
What Fits in the Small Bag
- One 1 lb bag of whole beans, such as Pike Place Roast or Starbucks Blonde Espresso Roast, with room for a box of VIA.
- A single mug or tumbler in its box.
- Two or three packaged snacks or a gift card in its sleeve.
- A Coffee Traveler does not fit; that comes with its own carrier.
- A cold drink does not travel well in it; the paper softens.
Paper, Recycling and the 2018 Change
Starbucks stopped handing out plastic bags in US stores in 2018 and moved fully to paper, and the current bag is made from recyclable kraft paper with paper rather than plastic handles. It goes in curbside paper recycling once the receipt is out, and the store will take it back if you bring it in. The bag is also compostable where a facility accepts kraft paper.
The Gift Bag Use
The reason the bag is on the menu at all is gifts. A bag of beans, a Starbucks card and a mug in a siren bag is a standard last-minute present, and the small bag is sized for exactly that. Ask the barista for tissue if the store has it; most keep some at the register during the holidays. For a larger gift the store may have a medium bag behind the counter, though it is not on the reference store's menu.
When You Need It and When You Do Not
- Buying beans or merchandise to carry: ask, and the bag is usually included.
- A gift: buy the bag; it is cheaper than a card shop's and matches the contents.
- A drink and a pastry: the drink carrier and the pastry bag are free and better suited.
- Rewards Stars: the bag rings up as a purchase and earns Stars like anything else, for what little that is worth.
There is nothing to declare on a paper bag: no allergens, no nutrition, and no price listed at the reference store. It exists on this site because it exists on the menu.