# What Happened To Sugar Cubes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 9, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922 "2010-03-09T23:21:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/1 "2010-03-09T23:21:34Z")
They used to be all over when I was a kid in the 70s but then they slowly disappeared from resturants. Was it hygenic issuse? Or was it the populartity of sugar substitutes? I mean people thinking if we have to put Equal and Sweet ‘n’ Low in packets why not be consistant and put the sugar in a packet too? ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/2 "2010-03-09T23:24:06Z")
[Cecil article](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/699/why-do-you-seldom-see-sugar-cubes-in-restaurants-anymore). Notice the date. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/3 "2010-03-09T23:24:42Z")
Fancy brown sugar “cubes” (more like lumps) are de rigeur in fine restaurants. I still see regular white sugar cubes occasionally in restaurants, and they are available in the grocery. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/4 "2010-03-09T23:26:33Z")
I like the lump format. It allows me to take the smallest one, on the rare occasions my tea needs sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/5 "2010-03-09T23:29:59Z")
> [@Cecil Adams](#): > > they’re only good for dumping into a beverage Wasn’t Cecil around in the '60s? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/6 "2010-03-09T23:37:03Z")
Thanks for the link, and I thought I had read all the columns. It makes sense, everything seems to be about cost, but you’d think with all the fuss about excess wrapping and wasting paper it might be time for a comeback ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/7 "2010-03-09T23:42:56Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Thanks for the link, and I thought I had read all the columns. It makes sense, everything seems to be about cost, but you’d think with all the fuss about excess wrapping and wasting paper it might be time for a comeback Well, the general public would want wrapped sugar cubes. People are just as “fussy” about waste as they are about hygiene. Actually, I’d venture to guess the general population is more fussy about hygiene. You don’t want someone sticking their hands in a sugar cube bowl to grab a sugar cube, or an already-licked spoon, or for a kid to touch every cube and leave it in the bowl. Even sugar dispenser canisters are more hygienic than a bunch of cubes in a bowl. Until someone invents a single-cube dispenser that isolates cubes from the outside air until they’re needed, packets are going to be the preferred method of sugar delivery. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/8 "2010-03-09T23:59:40Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Until someone invents a single-cube dispenser that isolates cubes from the outside air until they’re needed, packets are going to be the preferred method of sugar delivery. I’m picturing a slightly modified PEZ dispenser. I can smell the money! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/9 "2010-03-10T00:00:42Z")
[insert your own LSD joke here] ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/10 "2010-03-10T00:08:00Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [insert your own LSD joke here] [**Biffy** did](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12206312&postcount=5). 😉 ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/11 "2010-03-10T00:09:24Z")
I’ve been to quite a few cafe/casual eateries that have a jar with a spoon for sugar or brown sugar, and nobody seems to mind about that. Admittedly such places often do have packets available as well. I don’t recall if I’ve ever been to a ‘nicer’ restaurant that had a jar with a spoon brought to the table. I think I have, but I can’t say for sure. That format seems to me the best - you can take as much as you want, and it’s no better or worse than the cubes. Alternative answer: Bjork did some solo stuff, and even some acting. Don’t about the rest of them. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/12 "2010-03-10T00:15:14Z")
I’ve seen wrapped sugar cubes - usually two to a pack. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/13 "2010-03-10T00:20:52Z")
I recall the shops that had sugar cubes, had [tongs for the sugar cubes](http://cookies.cookiesfromitaly.com/silverfromitaly.com/hazel-doc/cutlery_service/tongs.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/14 "2010-03-10T00:56:44Z")
It may be more common in Europe. I recall getting served sugarcubes with my café in Paris, for example. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/15 "2010-03-10T02:33:22Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Well, the general public would want wrapped sugar cubes. People are just as “fussy” about waste as they are about hygiene. Actually, I’d venture to guess the general population is more fussy about hygiene. > [@suranyi](#): > > It may be more common in Europe. I recall getting served sugarcubes with my café in Paris, for example. You know where this is going so… let’s just leave it at that. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/16 "2010-03-10T03:15:55Z")
Yes, they still sell them in the stores, I’ve seen and bought C & H brand sugar cubes at the grocery store. Last November the Princess wanted a tea party theme for her birthday party, so I served chamomile tea in tiny cups and put a bowl of sugar cubes on the table for the guests to help themselves. The six girls who showed up loved it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/17 "2010-03-10T04:02:03Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Wasn’t Cecil around in the '60s? 😃 Perhaps. And took the Sabin Polio vaccine. ---
**Author:** ![Hallucinex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba9def/32.png) [@Hallucinex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hallucinex)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/18 "2010-03-10T04:30:23Z")
FWIW a bowl of sugar cubes seems to be the default option in Kazakhstan in most places serving tea/coffee that we’ve seen so far. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/19 "2010-03-10T04:35:01Z")
[They disbanded in 1992](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sugarcubes), and Bjørk went on to a solo career. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922/20 "2010-03-10T15:30:39Z")
I blame the demise of [absinthe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe#Preparation) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-sugar-cubes/531922.md?page=2)