to not know what to do with my coffee cup?

[HedgehogintheFog]

I love using my reusable coffee cup, especially since covid, as so many places around me seem to have defaulted to providing disposables only, even if you're sitting there to drink. However, when I am out and about for a weekend of shopping or a day out on holiday, I don't know what to do with it once I've finished my coffee. Sometimes I want a second coffee in the afternoon, but my cup is in the bottom of my bag with grimy milk and chocolate powder from my morning cappuccino. Is it weird to ask the coffee shop to rinse it out? Is it too gross to do it in the loo? If I'm in a pub and getting them to refill my water bottle, is it odd to also ask them to rinse my cup? Genuinely curious as to others' opinions.

P.S. I also have a weird thing about drinking out of paper cups (and eating with wooden cutlery), so it's not solely for altruistic environmental reasons!!

I always ask 'could you possibly rinse it first'? Nice to rinse it in a basin if you can. Or use your own water bottle to swish it out, outside?
I don't think you can ask a pub to do it though, not unless you are actually buying a coffee from them.

Please don't. Nobody wants your dirty cup.

I also hate paper and wood for eating and drinking, they make my teeth cringe.

Could you carry a flask of water and give it a quick swill and rinse?

I'd just clean it in the sink when I went to the loo next.

The answer is simple, two reusable cups.

Well this is my feeling. Which is why I normally don't have a second coffee, so I just wondered if there was a solution.

I'd just ask them to rinse it, I can't imagine anyone objecting to a polite request to rinse a reusable cup (when you're ordering a fresh one). It takes five seconds and we all benefit from the reduced waste. There's a chance they'll say no: maybe they can't be bothered, maybe some corporate insurance bans them from washing cups etc...but there's no harm in asking.

Surely anyone who works in a coffee shop isn't going to object to touching dirty coffee cups?

It takes 5 seconds plus time to wash their hands after touching your dirty cup before they can return to food/drink prep which is their actual job.

When I worked in a cafe we got asked this on occasion. Certainly didn't bother me although it was just a quick swish under the tap not a proper wash?

I would second using your water bottle to wash it out

I have a Stojo and a Costa collapsible coffee travel mug, I keep them in a baggie in my hand bag or car to use. I usually have both with me in my bag and a standard one in the car (long commute and travel between different offices) so I have a clean mug if I need one.
I got them as a lot of places refuse to take /rinse travel mugs.

Surely anyone who works in a coffee shop isn't going to object to touching dirty coffee cups?

Thinking a bit further, whoever is clearing tables and doing dishes isn't playing up cakes or making coffee. The people who are behind the counter are not touching dirty cups. It's not about objecting for no reason, it's about keeping clear separation between dirty dishes and food preparation.

This. No one wants your dirty cup. Reusing things is great but it dredges up all the food safety/cross contamination issues.

Bring a second one or rinse it out with a water bottle and wipe down the outside with an anti bacterial wipe.

*plating

I work at Gregg's we rinse customers reusable cups and you get a discount on your coffee for using it.

It doesn't have to be one of our reusable cups either, we sometimes have people bring their mugs in!

They rinse mine quite often, and I only ever drink black coffee.

Just ask, they won't even think about it, they'll just rinse it.

I just rinse mine in the toilets and give it a wipe with a paper towel, but clearly I'm too disgusting to be allowed out in public.

On the matter of cutlery, I also don't like eating with wooden cutlery, so I bought myself a spork and keep it in my bag so it's available whenever I need it.

And mine isn't a coffee house cup, it's mine, non branded.

@SamphirethePogoingStickerist

Are you having them a dirty cup?

*giving

They place where you are getting the 2nd coffee would probably rinse it out for you.

Huh?

Very often the same person does both! Why would it be an issue?

wouldn't a quick wipe inside with a paper towel do?