Iced Coffee Buckets Are the Oversized Summer Sip Everyone’s Talking About

Move over, venti. This summer, the only drink size that matters is a bucket.

If you’ve scrolled on social media or set foot in select local coffee shops lately, you’ve probably seen it: a giant, clear plastic tub filled with cold brew or iced coffee, overflowing with flavor. Welcome to the age of the coffee bucket, a supersized drink that’s indulgent, shareable, and internet gold.

This buzzy new trend swaps sleek espresso cups for over-the-top, dessert-forward drinks served in takeout-style containers. Think 40 ounces of caramel-drizzled cold brew with creamy cold foam floating on top. It’s bold, a little outrageous, and exactly what coffee fanatics want right now.

TikTok creator Kristen M (@kristen.chaoscoordinator) recently shared a video that received a lot of attention, showcasing her giant coffee bucket and capturing the oversized drink’s fun and shareable appeal. After just one week, it has already garnered over 455,000 likes.

What Is a Coffee Bucket, Exactly?

The term “coffee bucket” loosely refers to a jumbo-sized iced drink—usually cold brew or a flavored latte—served in a clear plastic container. They mimic bar-made cocktail buckets and most range from 32 to 50 ounces, often dressed up with layers of syrup, cold foam, and other toppings. Some are designed to be shared, while others are intended as a one-and-done indulgence for adventurous solo sippers.

“Any of our lattes can be made in a bucket, as long as it’s iced and it [consists of] four shots of espresso, ice, eight to 10 ounces of milk, and then whatever syrups go with the flavor that they selected—and then we also offer a cold foam topping,” says Brittany Stier, co-owner of Noctua Coffee, located in small-town Missouri.

Stier founded Noctua Coffee just over a year ago with her husband, Chris Stier. After Chris had brain surgery, the couple decided it was time to pursue their passions truly, including roasting and serving coffee.

“Our most popular [bucket] right now is the Blueberry Muffin,” Brittany Stier says. “We do a blueberry syrup, and then we add brown sugar to give it that kind of muffin-y flavor, and then we top it with our cold foam and cinnamon.”

Does Drinking a Coffee Bucket Get You Too Much Caffeine?

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there’s nothing wrong with getting an energy boost from drinking caffeine daily—but you should be conscious of the amount you’re consuming at once. The Administration states that 400 milligrams a day (approximately two to three 12-ounce coffees) is “generally not associated with negative effects.” Four shots of espresso (the amount in Noctua Coffee’s buckets) contain approximately 250 milligrams.

Note that caffeine sensitivity varies from person to person. If you start to experience heart palpitations, sleep disruption, anxiety, or any other effects listed by the FDA, you may be consuming too much. If you find you’re particularly sensitive, you can always share your coffee bucket with a friend.

Why They’re Everywhere Right Now

Coffee buckets are intentionally extravagant. In a cultural moment where “little treat” culture and cozy cafe aesthetics meet social media virality, the coffee bucket hits every mark: It’s comforting, customizable, and made to be shared (and filmed). On TikTok, videos tagged #coffeebucket have racked up millions of views, many featuring enthusiastic drinkers sipping through wide straws and holding on with both hands.

And at Wicked Southern Coffee, the excitement was immediate. “When we started seeing the bucket trend pop up more and more, we decided to give it a shot and launched ours at the beginning of June,” says owner Kaylee Shilosky. “People went crazy for it, and we sold out again that very same day.”

Beyond the visual appeal, coffee buckets align with a broader shift in coffee culture: moving away from minimalism and toward maximalism, personalization, and whimsy. Stier said the packaging is a major attraction, as many customers are drawn to the novelty and playful nature of the buckets.

Non-coffee options are also drawing customers to the drink. The Shark Bite Lemonade at Wicked Southern Coffee is a colorful, interactive treat that features the shop’s house-made lemonade, swirled with blue raspberry syrup, and served with a dramatic finishing touch—a mini syringe filled with grenadine.

Are Coffee Buckets Here to Stay?

Like many social media trends, coffee buckets could fade just as quickly as they appeared—but the ethos behind them feels more lasting. As younger consumers seek out experiences that are both personal and shareable, drinks like these tap into a more profound craving for originality, connection, and play.

According to Shilosky, the trend is already evolving, and they’ve seen customers turn the trend into personal traditions.

“We’ve done some fun summer and dessert-style flavors like our Caramel Banana Latte and our Tiramisu Latte, which is our number one seller,” Shilosky says. “We’ve seen people posting our buckets at the beach, the local lake in town, and even grabbing a few to start a bachelorette trip.”

And while they might not replace your everyday latte, coffee buckets offer something else: the joy of trying something just because it looks fun, tastes good, and makes you smile.