For all the progress made by coffee slingers like Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Dunkin’ to produce a more sustainable single-serve cup, the plastic lid remains a pernicious piece of junk that feels unavoidable.

Removable lids do hold some advantages; a single-size lid can get used on multiple-sized cups, and empty vessels can be stacked vertically to save space in tight coffeehouses. Plus, they’re easy to pop on, and when an espresso bar is pumping out hundreds of cups of coffee every morning, even a little complication can put a barista in the weeds, and a place full of caffeine-deprived Karens waiting a few extra seconds is an undocumented ring of hell Dante missed.