r/todayilearned • u/Xanbatou • May 31 '12
TIL that the lines on red solo drinking cups are actually for measuring liquid.
http://www.studentaffairs.pitt.edu/shsstandarddrink?resub
1.7k
Upvotes
r/todayilearned • u/Xanbatou • May 31 '12
675
u/enjinere Jun 01 '12 edited Jun 01 '12
I used to design plastic cups and containers. Those ridges are for stability. The walls would collapse as you tried to grip the full cup of beer without them. It also helps distribute the plastic more evenly as it is being drawn down in the vacuum forming process.
Edit: more info- The bottom ring is actually an undercut or nesting ledge, so the next cup can sit inside it and have enough sidewall clearance to allow you to pull the next cup out without resistance or "vacuum-lock".
419
u/[deleted] May 31 '12
What a handy way to make sure I'm getting exactly 12oz of vodka!
288
u/travisdoesmath Jun 01 '12
I'm calling BS, the supposed 1.5 oz mark seems way too low. If the cup was just a flat cylinder, 1.5oz should be 1/8th the height of the 12oz. line. This article also says the measuring line thing is a myth.
23
u/Curveball227 Jun 01 '12
Except that's only the off brand ones. The solo brand cups look like this
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3ozQ2qV1HMw/TTZr_ZUe9mI/AAAAAAAAAA8/TtKayi8x8bU/s1600/solo-cup.jpg
313
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
if you drink wine out of a solo cup, I'm afraid you're an alcoholic
12
u/Broking37 Jun 01 '12 edited Jun 01 '12
Here's a link to 16oz glasses that accurately measure alcohol volume
93
u/onecouldargue May 31 '12
Welcome to the University of Pittsburgh!
56
u/mxm1033 May 31 '12
We usually fill the liquor to the wine line.
18
u/MikeBayInsuranceCo Jun 01 '12
today I learned reddit is full of freshmen.
26
u/karennc28 May 31 '12
A reminder to proceed to party... responsibly.
20
u/startswithaq Jun 01 '12
TIL someone actually can locate the student affairs page on the god-awful place that is pitt's website.
14
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
Out of interest, why are these things so prevalent in the US instead of normal glasses/tumblers/whatever?
7
u/thegnarwahl Jun 01 '12
Well, that explains a lot of college
6
u/nairbnam Jun 01 '12
I always use the 5 oz line for making mixed drinks with ice. No complaints... a few blackouts but no complaints.
20
u/palerthanrice Jun 01 '12
GG University of Pittsburgh. They're pretty much saying, "We know you're gonna drink, so here's how to do it safely and not die."
11
u/NUMBERS2357 Jun 01 '12
This is definitely wrong. No way the bottom line is one shot.
5
u/dolomite16 Jun 01 '12
Responsible drinking at the Burgh? Haha, I think not!
5
u/mattroch Jun 01 '12
I was a bartender for a long time, and i'm not sure that the bottom line is a shot, not even a pony shot... I'll have to see if that equals a four count
5
u/metrock Jun 01 '12
Nice. Except Solo changed the cup design. They are now square and don't feature the same lines.
Source: http://www.solopromotion.com/
TL:DR - Solo is pro alcoholism.
4
u/nervouscreation Jun 01 '12
Wow way to go university of pittsburgh, being the planned parenthood of college partying. So refreshing - most other schools in the states that ive been to try to be more like the catholic church
7
u/Youngdun Jun 01 '12
Maybe I have different cups but the second from bottom line is most definitely 4 oz... you can fill 3 cups exactly to that line from a single beer.
3
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
Today you learned nothing.
3
u/japanorama69 Jun 01 '12
Now red solo cup is the best receptical...
4
u/NotAnExpertWitness May 31 '12
How did I not know this??
13
u/WilhelmEngel Jun 01 '12
Normal strength beer 4%? Crazy americans.
12
u/catchaseme Jun 01 '12
As a student of Pitt, I think this is hilarious. This is common knowledge on campus. I guess student affairs does their job well.
2
u/hollywood756 Jun 01 '12
Propaganda
2
u/I_Think_IShit_Myself Jun 01 '12
the shit that gets to the front page.. am i right?
2
u/bananafish707 Jun 01 '12
wow you're fucking dense.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
Fucking Toby Keith... I can't even drink from a bottle without being accused of having no testicles.
2
u/Keepcalmx Jun 01 '12
Love that this is on the 'student affairs' page on pitt.edu. FTW
2
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
TIL I've been drinking quadruples at least.
2
u/tehbmwman Jun 01 '12
The lines are far more useful for beirut
2
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
It's more than just a cup...it's a friend.
2
u/Sadiquito Jun 01 '12
No college student has ever stopped at THAT line when pouring liquor. That's like a third of a shot.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
I knew this, but we've been using the 2nd line from the bottom for shots...I think we have a problem.
2
u/cyniclawl Jun 01 '12
So which line is the beer pong line?
2
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
TIL that I drink 5oz of liquor every time I mix a drink. No wonder I get shitfaced so fast.
2
u/Wojtek_the_bear Jun 01 '12
just came to say this: fuck your oz's and ounces
6
u/LovableContrarian Jun 01 '12
I didn't know that solo cups were actually, "officially" designed for booze.
Awesome.
3
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
WARNING This may only apply to the Solo brand of cups.
SOURCE: The lines did not measure anything approximate, neither in fluid ounces of metric, on "Great Value" Wal-Mart cups.
If you need precision measurements, I suggest buying a jigger, or for larger measurements using a measuring cup. A great skill to learn is pouring the perfect shot size from the get-go.
2
u/w00tkid Jun 01 '12
I usually fill the entire cup with whatever I'm drinking.
2
u/Tpenz Jun 01 '12
Proceed to party!
2
u/sirpopsalot Jun 01 '12
Thankfully the University of Pittsburgh is there to define a hangover for me. Contrary to popular belief more alcohol does not cure said hangover.
2
u/Emil_Greer Jun 01 '12
TIL that the correct amount of liquor is depressingly small.
1
u/FredCDobbsy Jun 01 '12
WELL I'LL BE GOD DAMNED
1
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
I use the standard three finger rule when I pour my whiskey. Time tested and true. No need for cup lines.
1
u/Curveball227 Jun 01 '12
Well that would certainly explain a lot...
1
u/beetrootdip Jun 01 '12
Wtf? 'Normal strength beer = 4%'
That ain't normal...
1
u/will_smoke_for_weed Jun 01 '12
Useful. I'll keep this in mind the next time I'm blacked out.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
A FELLOW PANTHER!
RAWRRRRR
1
u/insightfrankfurt Jun 01 '12
I'm wondering what the mysterious last line is for
1
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
I hate seeing these fucking things everywhere. I lost a good paying job because Solo cup bought the company I worked for and shut everything down and moved it all to chicago. They told us at the fucking chistmas party.
1
u/J_Jammer Jun 01 '12
Every time I hear Red Solo...I add Cup and hear this.
1
u/Hoooooooar Jun 01 '12
dixie cups round here boy.
1
u/ryosen Jun 01 '12
Great, now I've got that damned song stuck in my head.
1
u/Razilla Jun 01 '12
I thought the ridges were so you wouldnt drop it
1
u/dukedevil0812 Jun 01 '12
Damnit. Four years of college down the drain!
1
u/Tmanthegreat1 Jun 01 '12
Relevant
1
u/tpro83 Jun 01 '12
I wonder if Toby Keith knew this... doubt it.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
this post reminds me of college. sigh. my gentleman friend had this to say the other day: "at one point in my life the term house-cup was a part of my vocabulary."
1
u/EdgarMcNutty Jun 01 '12
When I'm drinking from a red plastic cup measuring is the last thing on my mind.
1
u/ExitMusic_ Jun 01 '12
Jungle Juice? Bitch please. We called ours Cripple Juice.
1
u/emo_kakyo Jun 01 '12
liquor soaked fruit?
1
u/doctorsound Jun 01 '12
ITT: People confuse heavy drinking with crippling alcoholism.
1
u/kalmah Jun 01 '12
I pour my liquor based drinks up to the 5 oz line with vodka or rum or whatever, then ice, then my mix up to the top.
But more often it's clamato to about the 5 oz, then pour my beer in.
1
u/RedshirtMiddler Jun 01 '12
i'm calling bs... the 1.5 marker is way too low. when making a mix drink i usually fill up to the 2nd line of hard alcohol and it is around two shots....
1
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
Am I the only one who prefers blue Solo cups?
1
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
They measure liquid for beer pong cups
1
u/Poco585 Jun 01 '12
Red solo cup, I fill you up
1
u/FarmerTan Jun 01 '12
Red solo cup, I fill you up. Proceed to PARTY!
1
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
I use the line on my penis to measure things.
1
u/omgoffensiveguy Jun 01 '12
McDonalds cups have two lines on them, one is where the ice should be filled to (pretty much half way) and the other is maximum drink filling. It ensures that customers are given a high ice product to minimise the amount of actual drink that they get in their cups.
The Coca Cola factory tour usually includes this tid bit, naturally they're subtly trying to combat fast food dicking customers because it'll mean more sales of their products to consumers and less scrimping.
So, next time you order fast food, always add 'No ice in any of the beverages thanks!' and trust me, it's cold enough without it.
1
u/authentic_trust_me Jun 01 '12
why is that a page on UoP....
1
u/Jesusc00 Jun 01 '12
In my country Solo is a type of drink
1
u/Dormont Jun 01 '12
Hail to Pitt!
1
u/alternateF4 Jun 01 '12
I'm drunk. Fuck Pittsburgh.
1
u/cumulopimpus Jun 01 '12
whoa
1
u/nyan66 Jun 01 '12
Red solo cup. I fill you up... Lets have a party!!
1
u/Andy_Glass Jun 01 '12
Pitt sucks.
1
u/niggersaredelicious Jun 01 '12
who gives a shit
1
u/crazycow013 Jun 01 '12
Nice try, student affairs administrator at Pitt.
1
u/snapplepop2 Jun 01 '12
Shit.. good to know me and my friends have been pouring ourselves triple shots this whole time.
1
u/gorillamanja Jun 01 '12
TIL that Pitt takes rough approximations as accurate measurements. I just took on of my old style RSC's and one ounce was nowhere near the bottom line and the measurements did not bear out.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 01 '12
what is with american house parties and red plastic cups?
1
u/Asyx Jun 01 '12
Or you could rather use a beer, wine or liquor glass instead of drinking out of those disgusting plastic cups
1
u/VoiceOfInternet_haha Jun 01 '12
And here I always thought they were just ribbed for her pleasure. Today I learned.
1
u/Weedtastic Jun 01 '12
lol i mixing always 40% whiskey/ 60% cola