For years, it was rumored that those peculiar lines inside of a Solo cup were a clever way of assisting
home bartenders with their booze measurements. It was said that the line at the very bottom was for measuring a 1-ounce pour of liquor, the next line was meant for a 5-ounce serving of wine, and the line closest to the rim was for a 12-ounces of beer.
Well, it turns out that while those measurements are accurate, that was never the reason behind the placement of the lines, according to Solo.
Snopes reports that Dart Container Corporation, the parent company of Solo, shared a graphic demonstrating “The REAL Understanding of Lines on a SOLO Cup.” Dart Container Corporation also added this very important disclaimer: “If the lines do coincide with certain measurements, it is purely coincidental.”
Dart Corporation
And it turns out that they’re just as creative as we are. On the graphic, 5 ounces is marked as a standard serving of cereal, as well as the perfect amount of daily juice for kids. They even listed a Shirley Temple recipe that can be made using the lines inside of the cup.
Similarly, a post on the Solo website’s Frequently Asked Questions section notes that the “lines mean something different for everyone!”
“For some, it means a responsible pour at their next tailgate. For others, it means a more secure grip as they man the grill at the BBQ. And for our littler fans, it means they can stack and unstack our cups into a pyramid without them sticking together,” the answer read.
Sadly, though, Solo also added that their party cups no longer have lines.