# What's with those cone-shaped cups at water coolers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 27, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605 "2007-06-27T04:04:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/1 "2007-06-27T04:04:07Z")
Is there a point to that, or are they just designed to annoy you? ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/2 "2007-06-27T04:08:05Z")
I know this isn’t any kind of factual answer, but I always thought it was to encourage people to throw them in the trash when they were done, as there’s no convenient way to set it somewhere and leave it. ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/3 "2007-06-27T04:16:30Z")
That’s what I was thinking just as I was typing this question, but it seems like you could just as easily leave it lying around. I guess you could argue that if you left it, it couldn’t have water in it… but so what? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/4 "2007-06-27T04:21:58Z")
I think that, as with so many other things in life, the answer has to do with money. Conical cups are almost certainly cheaper than cups with flat bottoms. ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/5 "2007-06-27T04:27:19Z")
[QUOTE=Cagey Drifter] That’s what I was thinking just as I was typing this question, but it seems like you could just as easily leave it lying around. I guess you could argue that if you left it, it couldn’t have water in it… but so what? [/QUOTE] I dunno, wouldn’t it feel terribly awkward lying a cup on its side? I think a lot of people wouldn’t even consider it, just out of habit. Also, as far as water not being left in them… water can make quite a mess. We have flat bottomed cups at work, and people leave them everywhere, for someone else to accidentally knock over onto floors, creating slipping hazards, and products, causing monetary losses. But I really am just guessing here. ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/6 "2007-06-27T04:28:15Z")
[QUOTE=commasense] I think that, as with so many other things in life, the answer has to do with money. Conical cups are almost certainly cheaper than cups with flat bottoms. [/QUOTE] But we’re talking about mass production here. The marginal price difference even for a whole bag of cups is going to be so negligible that it couldn’t possibly be the real reason… could it? ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/7 "2007-06-27T04:28:18Z")
[QUOTE=Cagey Drifter] Is there a point to that…? [/QUOTE] Yes. It’s on the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/8 "2007-06-27T04:33:07Z")
[QUOTE=Cagey Drifter] Is there a point to that, or are they just designed to annoy you? [/QUOTE] There’s a point to each of them! The cone shaped design is cheaper to make. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/9 "2007-06-27T04:37:59Z")
Anyone else remember the plastic mug-like holders for the pointycup? I’ve nothing of interest to add. ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/10 "2007-06-27T04:40:19Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist] Anyone else remember the plastic mug-like holders for the pointycup? I’ve nothing of interest to add. [/QUOTE] _blinks_ Wait, you mean a plastic holder that you put a paper cup inside? WHY? Just bring a plastic cup if you want a plastic cup. Perhaps I’m just slow, but I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/11 "2007-06-27T04:51:25Z")
People the answer is simple. Cone shaped cups are for business where the boss does not want the employee to take a cup of water back to their work place. You get a drink of water from the jug, and then get your ass back to work. And before you ask, yes I have worked at places like this. (construction job sites) ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/12 "2007-06-27T04:55:45Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] People the answer is simple. Cone shaped cups are for business where the boss does not want the employee to take a cup of water back to their work place. You get a drink of water from the jug, and then get your ass back to work. And before you ask, yes I have worked at places like this. (construction job sites) [/QUOTE] Maybe we’re all right, and the cone shaped paper cup is the most well thought out invention ever designed. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Otara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Otara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otara)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/13 "2007-06-27T05:13:35Z")
I thinking they take up less space so you dont have to refill the hopper so often? Otara ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/14 "2007-06-27T05:24:57Z")
Remember that your average conical cup is not wax coated. It’s about the cheapest possible shape that will reliably hold water for a few minutes. There’s no printing or any other extraneous costs. I suspect that it also somewhat limits water consumption, as the cone of an equivalent cylinder has 1/3 the volume, and people feel uncomfortable in returning to the tap 4 times. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/15 "2007-06-27T05:53:54Z")
[QUOTE=Cardinal] and people feel uncomfortable in returning to the tap 4 times. [/QUOTE] Speaking of comfortable, I suspect the cone shape is less comfortable than a more cylindrical shape to hold for very long, encouraging people to drink and get back to work instead of standing around with a cup in their hands. ---
**Author:** ![SparrowHawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@SparrowHawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SparrowHawk)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/16 "2007-06-27T05:56:46Z")
[QUOTE=Ms. Pumpkin] _blinks_ Wait, you mean a plastic holder that you put a paper cup inside? WHY? Just bring a plastic cup if you want a plastic cup. Perhaps I’m just slow, but I don’t get it. [/QUOTE] I remember those. I think the point was that you could throw out the cup and reuse the holder without having to wash it. The cups were more substantial than the water cooler sort, since they were used for coffee and tea. The holder had a handle, so it turned your conical paperboard cup into a mug sort of deal. Useful for hot drinks before styrofoam. ---
**Author:** ![Ms.Pumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Ms.Pumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms.Pumpkin)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/17 "2007-06-27T06:09:17Z")
[QUOTE=SparrowHawk] I remember those. I think the point was that you could throw out the cup and reuse the holder without having to wash it. The cups were more substantial than the water cooler sort, since they were used for coffee and tea. The holder had a handle, so it turned your conical paperboard cup into a mug sort of deal. Useful for hot drinks before styrofoam. [/QUOTE] Ok that makes a little more sense. Thanks for spelling it out for me. I never knew such a thing existed. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/18 "2007-06-27T06:21:30Z")
[QUOTE=zagloba] There’s a point to each of them! The cone shaped design is cheaper to make. [/QUOTE] Henry Petroski agrees with this. He devotes half a chapter to the paper cup in his book _Small Things Considered: Why There is no Perfect Design_. He claims that paper cups were developed to be used with water vending machines, and were marketed as being more sanitary than “public” cups made of glass or ceramic or whatever and used by multiple people. So the business model was akin to making razors in order to sell razor blades…which means that the more you can shave off the cost of manufacturing the cups, the more profit you get. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/19 "2007-06-27T06:45:16Z")
[QUOTE=Ms. Pumpkin] _blinks_ Wait, you mean a plastic holder that you put a paper cup inside? WHY? Just bring a plastic cup if you want a plastic cup. Perhaps I’m just slow, but I don’t get it. [/QUOTE] Yep, I remember the thing too. I think it’s so you don’t have to worry about having a dirty cup around. Actually, I wish the water coolers here had those pointed cups. Most places have little envelopes which you fill with water. ---
**Author:** ![Wheeljack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@Wheeljack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheeljack)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605/20 "2007-06-27T06:46:24Z")
A friend of mine showed me a way that you can take the water back to your desk: tear the tip off of a second cup and turn it upside down. It provides a convenient holder for the water cup and allows you to stick it to the man at the same time. The man… when will he get tired of all the sticking? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-those-cone-shaped-cups-at-water-coolers/409605.md?page=2)