Why this straw earns its place
Blue is the colour that does not appear in the drink, which is exactly why it works on the straw. Set against a lemonade, a tonic serve or an iced soft drink, a blue stripe reads as decoration rather than as part of the liquid, and the contrast is what makes a plain glass look served rather than poured. It is the seasonal choice — seaside and terrace bars, summer garden service, poolside menus and children's drinks all pull towards blue because it signals cold and clean without anyone having to say so.
The 20 cm length keeps it practical. It clears the rim of a highball or collins so a guest picks it up without fishing for it, and it stands upright in a shorter tumbler packed with ice instead of dropping under the surface. Paper is what UK bars moved to after single-use plastic straws were banned from hospitality supply, and the working habit that comes with it is simple: it softens the longer it sits in liquid, so it goes in as the drink is handed over, and stock is kept dry and away from the wet bar top. A jar left in the splash zone will be full of soft straws by the end of the night.
