Durable, break resistant plastic tumblers are a staple of school cafeterias, family restaurants, outdoor areas, and many other foodservice venues. Plastic tumblers come in various colors, sizes, shapes and styles. You can also find them in a variety of materials. Below are the most common materials used in foodservice for plastic tumblers.
Polycarbonate – Many institutional foodservice operators choose polycarbonate tumblers because this material is nearly unbreakable. It is also one of the clearest material choices for plastic tumblers and it is often used to replicate the look of glass in certain styles. In applications that have heavy usage, polycarbonate tumblers will be selected for their break resistance with textured surfaces to hide wear and tear and surface scratches that may occur over time. A disadvantage of polycarbonate is that it contains BPA.
Copolymer – Tumblers made from copolymer are also frequently found in institutional foodservice operations such as schools, health care or long term care facilities. Copolymer tumblers are also highly durable but they are not typically found in restaurants because the material is opaque and many restaurant patrons prefer to see their drink.
SAN – This BPA free material, styrene acrylonitrile resin, is often utilized in operations with heavy use because it is durable and resistant to chemicals so it won’t show wear or become cloudy from repeated washings in a dish machine. SAN tumblers are also a cost effective choice, but they are more likely to crack when dropped than polycarbonate.
Tritan – This material is also called copolyester and manufactured by Eastman. It is designed to replicate glass and it is BPA-free. Tritan tumblers are highly durable and should last longer than polycarbonate and SAN Tumblers.
