A Complete Guide to Sizes, Types, and How to Choose
Paper cup lids are disposable covers — usually made from polystyrene, polypropylene, or paperboard — that seal the rim of a paper cup to prevent spills and retain heat. The two most common lid sizes in Canadian foodservice are 80mm (fits 8oz cups) and 90mm (fits 12oz and 16oz cups). Lids come in four main styles — flat, domed, sip-through, and straw-through — and the style you choose depends on the drink and how your customer will carry it.
If you run a café, food truck, or any business serving drinks to-go, the lid is the detail that makes the cup work. A good lid seals cleanly, doesn't leak in a car cup holder, and doesn't spill if a bike courier hits a pothole. A bad lid costs you replacement drinks, customer complaints, and sometimes a ruined laptop on somebody's desk.
This guide covers paper cup lids from the practical end: the sizes that matter in Canadian foodservice, the four lid styles you'll choose between, and how to match lids to the cups you're already stocking.
The two lid sizes that matter: 80mm and 90mm
Lid sizes are specified by rim diameter in millimeters — the measurement across the top of the cup where the lid seals. Most Canadian paper cup suppliers work within two sizes:
| Lid size | Cup rim diameter | Cup sizes it fits |
|---|---|---|
| 80mm lid | 80mm | 8oz cups |
| 90mm lid | 90mm | 12oz and 16oz cups |
This is why operations simplify when you skip 8oz. Stock only 12oz and 16oz cups, and you carry one lid SKU instead of two. For detail on cup sizes themselves, see our 8oz vs 12oz vs 16oz paper cup sizing guide.
A handful of larger cup formats (20oz, 24oz) use a 100mm lid, but those sizes are rare in independent Canadian cafés and usually reserved for cold beverage programs in fast food and convenience retail.
One note of caution: not all manufacturers follow the 80mm / 90mm convention cleanly. Some 12oz cups are produced with 80mm rims for line consistency with smaller sizes. Always verify lid diameter with your supplier when you switch cup vendors — a 12oz cup from one factory may not accept a 90mm lid from another.
The four lid styles
Lid style is chosen based on the drink and the service context.
Flat lids
The most common style. Sits flush across the cup rim, usually includes a small teardrop-shaped sip hole that can be pushed open with a finger.
Best for: standard hot coffee, tea, plain drip service. The default choice for most cafés.
Domed lids
Raised dome shape that creates space between the lid and the drink surface.
Best for: lattes with foam art, drinks topped with whipped cream, cortados with milk foam. Use any time the presentation on top of the drink shouldn't be crushed.
Sip-through lids
A variation of the flat lid with a pre-opened sip hole. No flap to push — the opening is always there.
Best for: high-volume service where staff can't stop to show each customer how to open the flap. Common in airports, event service, and large-format QSR.
Straw-through lids
Flat lids with a small X-cut or cross hole designed for a straw to pass through.
Best for: cold drinks, iced coffee, smoothies, cold brew. The seal around the straw keeps the drink in the cup when the cup tips.
Most Canadian cafés carry two lid styles: flat (or sip-through) for hot drinks, and straw-through for cold. A third style — domed — is added if the menu features lattes, cappuccinos, or drinks with significant foam or topping.
Lid materials
The lid material affects cost, recyclability, and how the lid performs in heat.
- Polystyrene (PS) — the industry default for decades. Rigid, inexpensive, good heat tolerance. Not widely recycled in Canadian residential programs.
- Polypropylene (PP) — more flexible than PS, performs well in heat, increasingly common. Wider recycling acceptance in some Canadian municipalities.
- Paperboard lids — fiber-based lids that are compostable in industrial facilities. Performance varies by brand; the better paperboard lids seal well in heat, the cheaper ones can soften and leak. Still a minority of the market but growing.
Your choice here depends on menu priorities and municipal context. Regulations are evolving — see our guide to food packaging regulations in Canada for the current compliance picture.
Lid-to-cup compatibility: getting it right
This is where operations get expensive if you're not careful. Three rules:
1. Always order lids from the same supplier (or verified compatible supplier) as your cups. A 90mm lid is not a precise standard across manufacturers — there are micron-level variations in rim design that matter. Mix suppliers at your peril.
2. Test the lid fit on your actual cups before ordering 10,000 of either. Request samples. Put hot water in the cup, press the lid on, tip it sideways. If there's any drip, don't order.
3. Confirm the sip hole style matches your service. Flat lids have a small flap that customers push open. Sip-through lids are pre-opened. Some cafés want the flap (keeps drinks hot in transit); some don't (removes a step for customers). Decide before ordering.
At Memo Cups, our lids are designed specifically to fit our 8oz, 12oz, and 16oz cups. The fit is tested during production and spec'd to tight tolerances. If you're ordering cups from us, ordering lids from us removes the compatibility question entirely.
How to plan your lid inventory
Here's the practical math for a typical Canadian café:
Standard hot drink café (no espresso focus):
- 12oz and 16oz cups (one lid size — 90mm)
- Flat lids with sip flap
- 1 lid SKU
Café with proper espresso program:
- 8oz cups for espresso drinks (80mm lid)
- 12oz and 16oz cups for everything else (90mm lid)
- Flat lids for drip service + domed lids for lattes
- 3 lid SKUs
Café with strong cold drink program:
- 12oz and 16oz cups (90mm)
- Flat lids for hot + straw-through for cold
- 2 lid SKUs
More lid SKUs = more storage space + more ordering complexity + more risk of running out of one while sitting on 500 of another. Most profitable cafés we work with run the minimum lid SKUs their menu allows.
Ordering lids alongside cups
A few practical notes for first-time buyers:
- Lids come in larger quantities than cups. A typical lid case holds 1,000 units. A typical cup case holds 500–1,000. Your lid inventory will turn over slower than your cup inventory.
- Lids stack densely. Store a month's supply of cups and your back room fills up. Store a month's supply of lids and you barely notice.
- Lids don't require custom printing in most cases. Cups are the branded element; lids are the functional accessory. Standard white or black lids are the norm, custom-printed lids exist but are rare and expensive.
Frequently asked questions
What size lid fits a 12oz paper cup?
Most 12oz paper cups have a 90mm rim diameter and use a standard 90mm lid. The same 90mm lid typically fits 16oz cups as well.
Are 80mm and 90mm lids interchangeable?
No. 80mm lids fit cups with an 80mm rim diameter (typically 8oz cups). 90mm lids fit cups with a 90mm rim (typically 12oz and 16oz). Using the wrong size creates a weak seal that leaks.
What is the difference between a flat lid and a domed lid?
Flat lids sit level on the cup rim and are used for standard hot and cold drinks. Domed lids have a raised dome that provides space for whipped cream, foam art, or tall drink toppings.
Do I need lids if my cups have sleeves?
Yes. Sleeves provide insulation so customers can hold hot cups comfortably, but they do not prevent spills. Lids and sleeves solve different problems and most takeaway orders use both together.
Does Memo Cups supply lids that fit its cups?
Yes. Memo Cups supplies lids designed to fit our 8oz, 12oz, and 16oz paper cups. Request a sample kit to confirm fit and sip-hole style before ordering in bulk.
See the lids in your hand. Request our free sample kit — we include our standard lids with the sample cups so you can test fit, seal, and feel.
Ordering in bulk? Request a quote with your cup sizes and lid preferences and we'll put together pricing for cups and lids together.