The Guest At Every Party

Having a party? Don’t forget the food! Don’t forget the beverages! And most of all, don’t forget the Solo cups! A recent story on National Public Radio’s (NPR) All Things Considered featured a piece about red Solo brand cups and how instrumental they have been in creating the perfect disposable beverage container. After all, these red cups have been partying with college students since the 1970s!

Country singer Toby Keith has even written a song about the cup called “Red Solo Cup.” The makers of the Solo cup didn’t even need to ask Keith to write the song. He just sings it as a true fan of the iconic cup, saying “I love you, red Solo cup. I fill you up. Proceed to party. Proceed to party.”

According to NPR’s Lauren Silverman, these cups were created out of paper cone cups that used to be placed at water coolers in the 1940s. These cups were then developed into wax lined cups, which were later developed into Solo’s “Cozy Cup”, which held coffee. And finally out of this came the plastic, red Solo cup that we now see today. 

Perhaps the only drawback of the red Solo Cup is that the plastic it is made out if is difficult to recycle, and the sheer number of cups used is rather large. As a disposable item, this cup often gets thrown into the trash, and then put into a landfill where it can take hundreds of years to break-down. However, the Solo cup is rather durable, and can stand a few hand washes for multiple party uses. If you’re looking to save more cash for beer, and spend less on cups, consider buying durable, reusable and washable plastic cups. Many stores often have sales on these during the summer months and they will last much longer than Solo cups, and will work just as well for your party experience!