Method of operating an apparatus for applying drinking straws to packaging containers, said apparatus comprising a drive means adapted for conveying drinking straws wrapped in protective envelopes to a picking position, a first conveyor adapted for conveying packaging containers past the apparatus an application device comprising at least one applicator arm which is adapted to pick a drinking straw with envelope from the drive means at the picking position, move said drinking straw to an application position in which it applies the drinking straw to a wall of the packaging container, hold the drinking straw to the wall of the packaging container while moving from the application position to a leaving position, and leave the drinking straw at the leaving position, wherein said method comprises the steps of performing a first portion of a motion cycle by moving the at least one applicator arm from the application position to the leaving position, said first portion being equal for successive packaging containers on the first conveyor, and, performing a second portion of the motion cycle by moving the at least one applicator arm from the leaving position back to the application position, via the picking position, said second portion being adjusted to fit the pitch between successive packaging containers, and such that, at the application position, the velocity is equal to an application velocity ( v a) and the acceleration is equal to an application acceleration ( a a), and at the leaving position, the velocity is equal to a leaving velocity ( v l) and the acceleration is equal to a leaving acceleration ( a l), that the respective application velocity ( v a), application acceleration ( a a), leaving velocity ( v l) and leaving acceleration ( a l) will be the same for each motion cycle, and characterized in that the adjustment of the second portion of the motion cycle, to fit the corresponding pitch, comprises the step of adapting the time period of the second portion such that it becomes equal to a time period needed for conveying a packaging container over the pitch, the pitch being the distance between two successive packaging containers being conveyed on the first conveyor. a drive means adapted for conveying drinking straws wrapped in protective envelopes to a picking position, a first conveyor adapted for conveying packaging containers past the apparatus an application device comprising at least one applicator arm which is adapted to pick a drinking straw with envelope from the drive means at the picking position, move said drinking straw to an application position in which it applies the drinking straw to a wall of the packaging container, hold the drinking straw to the wall of the packaging container while moving from the application position to a leaving position, and leave the drinking straw at the leaving position, wherein said method comprises the steps of performing a first portion of a motion cycle by moving the at least one applicator arm from the application position to the leaving position, said first portion being equal for successive packaging containers on the first conveyor, and, performing a second portion of the motion cycle by moving the at least one applicator arm from the leaving position back to the application position, via the picking position, said second portion being adjusted to fit the pitch between successive packaging containers, and such that, at the application position, the velocity is equal to an application velocity ( v a) and the acceleration is equal to an application acceleration ( a a), and at the leaving position, the velocity is equal to a leaving velocity ( v l) and the acceleration is equal to a leaving acceleration ( a l), that the respective application velocity ( v a), application acceleration ( a a), leaving velocity ( v l) and leaving acceleration ( a l) will be the same for each motion cycle, and characterized in that the adjustment of the second portion of the motion cycle, to fit the corresponding pitch, comprises the step of adapting the time period of the second portion such that it becomes equal to a time period needed for conveying a packaging container over the pitch, the pitch being the distance between two successive packaging containers being conveyed on the first conveyor. at the application position, the velocity is equal to an application velocity ( v a) and the acceleration is equal to an application acceleration ( a a), and at the leaving position, the velocity is equal to a leaving velocity ( v l) and the acceleration is equal to a leaving acceleration ( a l), that the respective application velocity ( v a), application acceleration ( a a), leaving velocity ( v l) and leaving acceleration ( a l) will be the same for each motion cycle, and characterized in that the adjustment of the second portion of the motion cycle, to fit the corresponding pitch, comprises the step of adapting the time period of the second portion such that it becomes equal to a time period needed for conveying a packaging container over the pitch, the pitch being the distance between two successive packaging containers being conveyed on the first conveyor.