# Why 12oz? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 24, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-12oz/170847 "2003-04-24T14:11:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dolomite21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Dolomite21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dolomite21)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-12oz/170847/1 "2003-04-24T14:11:53Z")
In cans of soda and beer…why has this become the determined serving of said beverage? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-12oz/170847/2 "2003-04-24T14:31:31Z")
I am not a can authority… But have you noticed that the standard 12 ounce can fits very neatly into an average person’s hand? ---
**Author:** ![Dolomite21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Dolomite21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dolomite21)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-12oz/170847/3 "2003-04-24T14:34:48Z")
so does a 6oz (or is it 8) can of v8 ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-12oz/170847/4 "2003-04-24T14:44:45Z")
there are smaller and larger but 12 oz is just the most popular ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-12oz/170847/5 "2003-04-24T14:49:53Z")
This is very US-centric. When I have traveled abroad I have found that the cans are smaller (I don’t remember the standard size in Europe, maybe something like 0.3 L which is 10 fl. oz.). I don’t think the average European hand is any smaller 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Photog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c77e96/32.png) [@Photog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Photog)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-12oz/170847/6 "2003-04-24T16:40:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CookingWithGas \* > \*\*This is very US-centric. When I have traveled abroad I have found that the cans are smaller (I don’t remember the standard size in Europe, maybe something like 0.3 L which is 10 fl. oz.). I don’t think the average European hand is any smaller 😉 \*\* Yup…typical American over indulgence. Fatties with their extra 2 oz. and all…hmph 😉 ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-12oz/170847/7 "2003-04-24T17:15:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Photog \* > **Yup…typical American over indulgence.** Yeah, I think a Big Gulp in Europe is only 28 oz. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-12oz/170847/8 "2003-04-24T18:05:22Z")
It needed to be 12oz. to fill up the cans and bottles they were making.😃 ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-12oz/170847/9 "2003-04-24T18:13:13Z")
When Coca-Cola first introduced their bottles they were the 6 oz. size. In the 50’s (?) Pepsi introduced 12 oz. bottles as a marketing ploy. _Pepsi-Cola hits the spot. Twelve full ounces that’s a lot. Twice as much for a nickel too. Pepsi-Cola is the drink for you._ Before long, virtually all bottlers used the 12 oz. standard. When cans came along this was a natural migration. It wasn’t until later that larger size bottles (16 oz., 20 oz. 1 liter, 2 liter, etc.) came into use. ---
**Author:** ![hermann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b487fb/32.png) [@hermann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hermann)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-12oz/170847/10 "2003-04-25T00:02:59Z")
Well, if it was 11oz, you’d be asking “Why 11oz?”. Why 12? Why not 12?