Abstract: An apparatus for applying drinking straws on prefabricated packaging containers includes a drive device for continuous belts of drinking straws wrapped in protective sleeves or envelopes, a conveyor for moving packaging containers past the drinking straw applicator, a separator for separating drinking straws from the belt, as well as an applicator for applying the drinking straw on a side wall of the packaging container. The drinking straw applicator include at least one eccentric which is eccentrically disposed on a shaft mounted adjacent the drive device. During rotation of the shaft, the eccentric is moved from an inner position to an outer position, a drinking straw is picked up at the inner position and is applied on a packaging container at the outer position.