A whole stick of butter is cheap and IMO isn’t too much for four people. I’d melt a whole stick and put that on the table for immersion, with a big spoon for ladling on extra as you go.
Here is the Wargames scene with Butter/Bread/Corn technique
Lime juice and chile powder is my current favourite way to eat corn on the cob.
I despised butter as a child, so came to buttered corn quite late (in my late 30s, I think), but my folks would just spread with a knife. The pepper would fall off mine, so I overloaded it quite severely - it looked like I’d dropped it in an ashtray.
Converted, I now hold a pat of butter by the paper and wipe it up and down the cob. That just seems the simplest thing to do: I’ve got butter, I’ve got corn, the heat of the latter causes the former to be easily transferred to it…I’m at a loss as to a need for any sort of applicator.
I’m not open to changing my mind regarding buttering corn, says the guy who recently changed his mind about buttered corn,
I’m sure the only way I’ve done it is the easiest way to do it, he says to the guy who has done it both ways and disagrees.
seriously though, it’s just buttered corn. it’s going to taste good regardless. if you’re using stick butter, it’s probably toss up. if you’re using any form of butter in a container, the bread way is easier hands down.
It just seems to me like a solution in search of a problem. I can’t think of anyone saying “I love butter on corn, but I can never get the butter on there right!” or “I want my corn buttered but it’s too much of a hassle.”
I guess if you actually like eating butter on untoasted bread, then it could make sense–you can get two things buttered at once. But I only like butter on toast–and, even then, I usually go without.
I guess I might try it sometime for a lark. Maybe I then toast the bread in the toaster oven, with some garlic on it. But it seems as weird as finding out that people used to use bread to clean out their skillets.
We do that pretty often too. Romano cheese usually. Chili powder. We don’t have applicators for them yet 
just little dishes with spoons.
- whenever I show them the way I was taught, they basically become instant converts.*
Never even thought about it till I saw it done in a movie once. Instant convert!
Never once said I wasn’t open to changing my mind.
Never said it was the only thing I’d tried. Never said I was sure. Never mentioned ease. I described what I do and specifically said it “seems” the “simplest”: not using any equipment does seem simpler than using equipment.
The most basic method (put x directly onto y) works perfectly for me, so I don’t see a need to add steps to the method. That doesn’t mean I’ve never tried anything else, nor does it mean I’ll be stubborn if an advantage is demonstrated in doing something else.
If I understood it correctly, it is supposed to be bread and butter down. 
here’s the link, courtesy of notfrommensa, to a movie illustrating this. so it’s said, he really butters the shit out of that bread. he could have easily gotten by with less than half that amount.
Given recent reports from Costco, however you butter your corn, just don’t throw away the cob when your done! You might need it…
buttering corn on the cob
I thought he dropped out of the race.
I was kinda messing with you, hence the “seriously though. . …”.
anyway, the reason I started this thread wasn’t to win anyone over to my side. it’s just how I was taught, it works really well. I do recommend people try it, because why not? you’re at the dinner table. you got bread? check. butter? check. then you’re good to go. the more cobs to butter (think kids) the greater a tip you’ll think this to be.
and I’m not sure if it’s cultural or geographical or what, but I can’t even wrap my head around calling a slice of bread equipment.
one you buy, borrow or rent, typically involves some skill to use, often times requires occasional routine maintenance, you’d at least be upset if someone were to steal it, would likely call the police to report the theft as well, . . …I could go on.
the other is something that cost about 3 cents a slice on the low end, most would willingly feed it to birds, you’d throw it away and grab another one if it fell on the floor, and. . … and it’s already at the dinner table.
Clearly you are not discriminating. A uniform application of butter into every single nook and cranny about the entire circumference is paramount.
This buttered bread application method is totally new to me. I’ve seen WarGames probably 20 times and never noted that scene before. I’m willing to give it a try mostly so I can eat the slice of gooey bread when I’m done.
My method, and I’m SHOCKED it hasn’t been mentioned, is an advancement on the suggestion to just spin the corn on top of the whole stick in the dish. I carve off 3-4 pats of butter and lay them in a line on the plate. I then set the corn on top of that and spin to my hearts content. This is usually enough butter for 2-3 ears of corn and it gives you a near perfect coverage. It also comes with the benefit that your plate is now a puddle of drippings and melted butter making reapplication a clean and sanitary affair. Is it possible I’ve innovated?
Bread, in my life, has never been “already at the dinner table.” Nor has butter for that matter. Now we’re getting into cultural differences.
in the house maybe?
if you answer no to that one, then I’m guessing corn on the cob wasn’t on the dinner table too often either
I’ve seen it way more times than that (we had it on vhs and we about wore that tape out) and I don’t recall that scene either.
one of my favorite scenes from the movie
Asexual Reproduction - From the movie War Games
I had quite the crush on Ally Sheedy back then
Corn on the cob is a seasonal treat here in Ontario. We typically eat it in July and August only.
ETA: Bread and butter as a staple on the dining table is not a thing.
So guys, actually I had not seen this for most of my life. I never butter my corn on the cob, and nobody else in my family did either (2 parents and 5 total siblings). But I think the main reason for that is that we’re immigrants — both parents born and raised in Philippines, and me (oldest) and next two siblings born there too, but then raised in the US where the the last 2 sibs were born.
I don’t think my parents were ever lernt it the “right way”, and then they in turn lernt the rest of us kids that way too.
Not until relatively recently when I married a gal whose family was from Wisconsin and at one dinner they looked at me sideways funny for not buttering my cob… and I looked at all of them sideways funny for buttering and salting their cobs!
I tried it, but yeah I’m with kayaker too.
Yeah, we’re both right and everyone else here is just damned wrong! 
Are you remembering this CS thread? You came in at post #2, back in December 2017:
Mexican Corn: Yummy! (Elotes, Esquites — Mexican Street Food)