A cup holder is a device to hold a cup or other drinking vessel. It is a fixture in automobiles, trains, and other transportation, as well as in some movie theatres, sports arenas, etc. Glass stemware Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Drinkware Drinkware or Beverageware is a general term for the class of vessels from which people drink. ... Car redirects here. ... For other uses, see Train (disambiguation). ... A typical megaplex (AMC Rolling Hills 20 in Rolling Hills Estates, California). ... For other uses, see Arena (disambiguation). ...

Automobiles

retractable cupholder in a Saab 9-5.

The armrest in the backseat of a Lincoln Town Car, featuring two cupholders.

Early automobiles did not feature cup holders. The rough ride, bumpy roads, and requirement for both hands to operate the vehicle at all times combined to discourage people from attempting to drink in their cars. If drinks were carried, they were in a sealed container, a bottle or flask to be opened at a rest stop. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2560x1920, 2382 KB) Other versions Originally from en. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2560x1920, 2382 KB) Other versions Originally from en. ... 2000 Saab 9-5 sedan 2006 Saab 9-5 station wagon The Saab 9-5 is an executive car produced by the Swedish automaker Saab. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 518 pixel Image in higher resolution (1167 × 756 pixel, file size: 769 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I shot the picture myself. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 518 pixel Image in higher resolution (1167 × 756 pixel, file size: 769 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I shot the picture myself. ... The armrest in the backseat of a Lincoln Town Car, featuring cupholders. ... Car seat is a seat used in cars. ... The Lincoln Town Car is a rear-wheel drive full-size luxury sedan and serves as the flagship of Fords Lincoln luxury car division. ...

Cup holders were first invented by James Guillow in 1943

The development of the drive-in restaurant was a step in the cupholder's development. Servers would attach a tray that hooked over the car's side window, which needed to be left up a little for it to attach to. This gave a temporary table to hold drinks and food while eating in the car. The drive-in restaurant and cinema encouraged the development of built-in tray tables; often, the inside of the glove compartment lid, when folded down, had indentations to hold cups and cans, and were found in cars as early as the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air^[1]. These were sufficient to hold beverages when the car was stopped, but not while in motion. A drive-thru window at a fast food restaurant. ... The glovebox of a Cadillac Eldorado Brougham For the sealed container for handling hazardous materials, see glovebox. ... 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Hardtop 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Interior 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door sedan 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Sedan The Chevrolet Bel Air was an automobile series produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors from...

The later development of the drive-thru restaurant encouraged the development of better holders for drinks, and a more fast-paced life and longer commute times made many drivers desire to drink their morning coffee in the car on the way to work. The 1960s saw coffee cups with wide, flat, rubberised bases being sold, which would keep them steady on the dash or console. A little later, aftermarket cupholders began to be sold. These often clipped onto the door windows, although other designs wedge in between the front seats and the center console. A drive-through refers to a type of restaurant or part of a restaurant that serves customers in their vehicles. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969. ...

Built-in cupholders began to be available in the 1980s. Minivans were pioneers in their availability, and they still offer the greatest number of them. Over time, automotive cupholders have become larger and larger, and more sophisticated, so that they can hold a variety of different sizes of cup securely. Many offer spring-loaded holders that clasp the cup securely no matter how large or small. The development of ever-larger cups by U.S. fast-food chains and convenience stores has proven a challenge to automotive designers; many fast-food chains now offer 44 fl.oz. (1.3 L) drinks. The automobile cup-holder has also driven the development of "car cups" designed to fit within most cars' cup holders; these have a narrower base but flare outward after a short cylindrical distance. The 1980s is the current decade spanning from 1980 to 1989, also called The Eighties. The decade saw social, economic and general upheaval as wealth, production and western culture migrated to new industrializing economies. ... It has been suggested that Mini MPV be merged into this article or section. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The installation of cup holders in automobiles increased significantly after Stella Liebeck v. McDonald's Corporation where a 79 year old woman in the U.S. ordered hot coffee from a McDonald's restaurant. She then spilled the coffee on her lap and was seriously scalded. She subsequently sued McDonald's in a jury trial. Liebeck was awarded 2.7 million U.S. dollars in damages by the Jury, which was later reduced by the judge to $640,000 U.S. The case was settled privately for an undisclosed sum. Stella Liebeck v. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... For other uses, see Coffee (disambiguation). ... McDonalds Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is the worlds largest chain of fast-food restaurants, primarily selling hamburgers, chicken, french fries, milkshakes and soft drinks. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Jury. ... In law, damages refers to the money paid or awarded to a claimant (as it is known in the UK) or plaintiff (in the US) following their successful claim in a civil action. ...

Many people, particularly in the United States, consider the design, location and number of cup holders in a vehicle to be one of the most important attributes influencing their vehicle purchase. Others take the contrary view; that they are irrelevant, and encourage a dangerous practice which distracts drivers from their primary task. Cars designed primarily for the U.S. market have tended to have larger cupholders, while those for which the primary market is outside of North America tend to have smaller ones. For other uses, see Driving (disambiguation). ...

In Europe, cupholders in cars are not used as much as in the USA and are looked at with contempt by some enthusiastic drivers. However, as most cars are now built for a global market, including the USA, many cars in Europe do feature cupholders.

The bus/train cup holder

Cup holder installed on a bus.

Before the automobile cup holders, many buses and trains were built with wall-mounted cup holders. These cup holders are usually constructed by thin stainless steel plates. Some of them are covered by rubber. Cup holder installed on a bus. ... Cup holder installed on a bus. ... Autobus redirects here. ... For other uses, see Train (disambiguation). ... The 630 foot (192 m) high, stainless-clad (type 304) Gateway Arch defines St. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ...

See also

• Bottle cage

A bottle cage is a bicycle accessory used to affix a water bottle to the bike. ...

References

1. ^ Alton Brown on the TV show Feasting on Asphalt (episode 1), Food Network

Alton Brown (born on July 30, 1962 in Los Angeles, California, U.S.) is an American food personality, cinematographer, author, and actor. ... Feasting on Asphalt is a television series starring Alton Brown of the Food Network programs Good Eats and Iron Chef America. ... Food Network is an American cable network that airs many specials and recurring (episodic) shows about food. ...

External links

• How U.S. car design came to include cup holders. - Henry Petrovski, Slate.com, 15 March 2004.
• My cup runneth over - James May, The Daily Telegraph (UK), 19 June 2004.