The red Solo cup is a disposable, red plastic cup that has become a cultural icon celebrated in prose and song, at least praised as "quintessentially American," a "veritable national icon," and which is said to be a ubiquitous staple at college parties across the United States, where it is "the king of the keggers."
The cup, red on the outside and white within, has been the subject of a song popularized by Toby Keith and the only product sold on a website in the United Kingdom "targeting British revelers who wish to re-create the ambience of a land-grant university frat house."
The product has been manufactured by the Solo Cup Company since the 1970s. If "flush filled" right to the brim, the cup can hold 18 ounces, making it slightly larger than similar cups made by competitors. A "practical fill" measurement would remove two ounces from the total to take into account the addition of ice cubes as well as "spill avoidance."
History edit
Solo started making the cups in the 1970s. A company official has said it is unclear whether or not Solo was the first company to make the cup, but it was one of the earliest, and it established dominance in the marketplace.
Beginning in 2004, the company changed the shape of the cup somewhat, introducing indented grips along the sides of the cup, essentially on the bottom half. The change was meant to make the cup easier to hold. In 2009 the company changed the cup again, making the bottom close to square. Each of the design changes led to double-digit sales growth for the cups.
Critical reception edit
The red Solo cup is the most popular cup used in college parties, according to a 2011 National Public Radio report. "Plenty of other companies make disposable plastic cups, and though a lot of them are cheaper, Solo's is the one that's become the king of the keggers," according to the report.
The squared-off bottom of the cup does not essentially alter its use in party games such as "Flip Cup," according to Seth Stevenson, writing in Slate.
Celebration in song edit
Toby Keith's 2011 song, "Red Solo Cup,"
http://www.npr.org/2011/11/05/142016720/the-red-solo-cup-every-partys-most-popular-guest