Red SOLO Cups are synonymous with youth culture, beer pong, and drinking. They’re even the inspiration for a popular Toby Keith song. But a decades-old myth has finally been debunked about this piece of plastic kitchenware.
A viral photo recently surfaced online, showing that the lines on Solo cups denote the proper measurement of distinct alcohol types. According to the photo, the lowest line can be used for one ounce — or a shot — of liquor. Wine should be measured up to the second line, or 5 ounces, while the third line shows where to pour 12 ounces of beer.
But the company behind Solo cups says they were never intended for measuring alcohol in this way. Invented in the 1970s by Robert Hulseman, the aim was to simply create a drinking vessel that was easily transportable for family picnics. Though the lines on the cup appear to signify the appropriate serving of a tequila shot or a pour of Merlot, this was never Hulseman’s intention, according to USA Today.
Facebook and other social sites are cracking down on the misconception. Just a week ago, the platform removed a post from Orlando radio station K92.3 after it shared a photo of the misleading graphic, with the caption: “How old were you when you found out these lines are actually measurements?”
Other posts remain on the platform, including one with over 2,000 interactions. But Facebook has placed a warning on the photo which reads “Partly False Information.”
This isn’t the first time that the claim has circulated across the internet, and it certainly won’t be the last. While the reason for the lines on Solo cups remains a myth, it’s a proven vessel for any occasion.
