Stanley cups are all the rage right now, these insulated tumblers coming in many different shapes, sizes, patterns, and colors. The cups can carry anywhere from 14 to 64 ounces of your preferred drink, according to an article about Stanley cups (stanley1913.com). They can keep water ice cold for 11 hours straight and hot for seven hours, according to the Today Show (today.com). The Stanley cups have created quite the havoc, with their value being questioned as their popularity has grown. Stanleys’ temperature conservation and carrying capacity are very impressive, but society’s obsession with these cups has gone too far (nbcnews.com).
Within UC High, 15 percent of the students polled already own Stanley tumblers; six percent don’t own any but hope to get one, five percent think these cups are “okay,” and the largest majority, 74 percent, believe these are completely overrated, according to an online poll conducted by The Commander. Junior Angie Santos claimed, “They are cute and keep water super cold but I have seen them so much and everyone has them now that they’re just okay at this point.” Junior Katy Schoeknecht also agreed, stating, “The cups are cute but they can be really bulky and they are kind of old news now.”
Furthermore, people have gotten a bit out of control when trying to get their hands on several limited edition Stanley cups. One of the most recent events involving this occurred in early January with the release of special edition red and pink Stanley cups of multiple sizes for Valentine’s day at Target stores. Although some of the shoppers were collectors, according to USA Today, most were resellers who were looking to make a quick buck. These particular cups had retailed for 49 dollars and sold on eBay and other websites for up to four times that original amount (usatoday.com). There were some shoppers who camped outside Target, said the Daily Dot, arriving as early as 4:30 a.m. Once store doors were opened, people rushed to the back section to grab these cups, emptying the shelves in a matter of seconds (dailydot.com).
These situations with the Stanley cup craze can often escalate to unexpected levels. According to a Tampa, Florida news station, a physical altercation broke out over possession of at least one cup. According to another review website, in another Target, people went as far as lying about being in line or taking the fight to social media via back and forth shaming (kron4.com). Some claim the craze could be motivated by a type of “FOMO,’’ the fear of missing out. Social media influencer Jazmin Hernandez, also known as @jazzedbyjaz, recorded a Tiktok video while working at Target and claimed she was “getting trampled for a Target Stanley Valentine’s cup,” as per Fox Business (foxbusiness.com).
To worsen things, there have been recent allegations by social media influencers claiming that these tumblers contain poisonous lead. According to the Today Show, Stanley admitted they use lead in the manufacturing process, arguing that it is only poisonous if the cover to a lead pellet on the bottom is damaged or removed (today.com).
From what UC High students have said, to the mobs of cup-crazy people storming stores, it seems that these Stanley tumblers have had their moment, with each release creating havoc for a select few yet only being used by a limited amount of customers. Albeit useful, these cups have become an overrated and unnecessary trend.