# An important question of logic ---about empty cups for the financially challenged **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 22, 2019, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-important-question-of-logic-about-empty-cups-for-the-financially-challenged/834327 "2019-05-22T02:09:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-important-question-of-logic-about-empty-cups-for-the-financially-challenged/834327/1 "2019-05-22T02:09:56Z")
Fact 1: There’s a cola machine in Subway Sandwich shops with unlimited refills available to you. Fact 2: you can buy an empty 20 ounce cup for $1.65. Fact 3: you can now fill the cup and drink as much cola as you want. Fact 4: instead of step 2 above, you can choose to buy a larger, empty 30 ounce cup for $2.00 Fact 5: if you pay more for the larger empty cup, you can now drink…\*\*the same amount of cola \*\* Huh? Why for Og’s sake would anybody pay an extra 20% for the larger empty cup? Please enlighten me, folks. I need some help here. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-important-question-of-logic-about-empty-cups-for-the-financially-challenged/834327/2 "2019-05-22T02:12:05Z")
to go ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-important-question-of-logic-about-empty-cups-for-the-financially-challenged/834327/3 "2019-05-22T02:12:22Z")
Taking the soda to go on a road trip or a working driver. Can’t refill if you’re 40 miles away. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-important-question-of-logic-about-empty-cups-for-the-financially-challenged/834327/4 "2019-05-22T02:13:45Z")
You fill up the cup, leave the restaurant, and put it in the cup holder of your car. You’re not thirsty right now (you drank all you wanted before you left the restaurant), but you will be later. With the cheap cup, you can quench 20 ounces of later thirst. With the more expensive cup, you can quench 30 ounces of later thirst. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-important-question-of-logic-about-empty-cups-for-the-financially-challenged/834327/5 "2019-05-22T03:46:29Z")
Besides the above to-go answers, people with small kids &/or mobility issues could fill up once & not need a refill; therefore, not need to get up from their table. I bet it’s hard to carry a soda while using crutches but they would probably bring your food to your table when it’s ready but not come back to check on you like a waiter/ess would. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-important-question-of-logic-about-empty-cups-for-the-financially-challenged/834327/6 "2019-05-22T10:26:27Z")
Say you wanted 30 ounces of cola. If you bought the 20-ounce cup, drank one and then, after a refill, left with and drank the remaining 10 ounces, you would be unable to later empty your bladder into the 20-ounce cup - if the need arose. I’m picturing a road chase of the OJ variety. However, if you had the 30-ounce cup… ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2019, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-important-question-of-logic-about-empty-cups-for-the-financially-challenged/834327/7 "2019-05-22T10:29:43Z")
In the words of Joy from _My Name is Earl_, “A small is just a large with more walking.” ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2019, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-important-question-of-logic-about-empty-cups-for-the-financially-challenged/834327/8 "2019-05-28T13:49:19Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Say you wanted 30 ounces of cola. If you bought the 20-ounce cup, drank one and then, after a refill, left with and drank the remaining 10 ounces, you would be unable to later empty your bladder into the 20-ounce cup - if the need arose. I’m picturing a road chase of the OJ variety. However, if you had the 30-ounce cup… What, your car doesn’t have windows? 😃 But yeah, you only need the larger cup if you want to be able to take more soda with you when you leave. I’m looking at a takeout cup right now where I made the same choice (though as always I opted for the small, as i usually don’t even finish that).