The NYC Coffee Cup You Saw Everywhere
Back in 1995, a New York Times writer dubbed it “perhaps the most successful cup in history," while the New York Post called it one of “the 10 things that are the essence of New York City.” When Hillary Clinton was tapped as Secretary of State, the State Department ordered 10,000 of these cups for a big gala dinner.
So, what’s the hype about? It’s the first-ever handleless paper to-go coffee cup, rocking a bold “WE ARE HAPPY TO SERVE YOU” in a Hercules-esque Greek font.
This cup was all about convenience for a bunch of busy New Yorkers on the move. By 1994, 500 million of them were sold, and you could spot them everywhere—food trucks, Greek diners, bodegas, delis. They were flooding the city in every direction, they needed a name: the Anthora cup.
When Greek immigrants came to NYC, they brought their coffee culture with them — opening up diners and sidewalk pushcarts all over the city. In 1963, Sherri Cup Company decided to create a to-go coffee cup that would appeal to these Greek vendors. Enter Leslie Buck, a guy in their marketing department with zero formal design training but enough street smarts to nail it. The Anthora cup, with its Greek motifs and the classic "WE ARE HAPPY TO SERVE YOU" slogan, became a city staple. Over its 40-year run, this cup earned its spot as a New York icon, right up there with yellow taxis and the Statue of Liberty.
The Anthora cup has made its way into movies and TV shows set in NYC like Goodfellas, The Sopranos, and Law & Order. Leslie Buck never got royalties from his design, but he was well-compensated as a salesman. When he retired from Sherri Cup Co. in 1992, they honored him with 10,000 Anthora cups printed with a special message: "It was our pleasure to serve you."
*All images & copyright belong to the original owner unless otherwise stated*
This cup was all about convenience for a bunch of busy New Yorkers on the move. By 1994, 500 million of them were sold, and you could spot them everywhere—food trucks, Greek diners, bodegas, delis. They were flooding the city in every direction, they needed a name: the Anthora cup.
When Greek immigrants came to NYC, they brought their coffee culture with them — opening up diners and sidewalk pushcarts all over the city. In 1963, Sherri Cup Company decided to create a to-go coffee cup that would appeal to these Greek vendors. Enter Leslie Buck, a guy in their marketing department with zero formal design training but enough street smarts to nail it. The Anthora cup, with its Greek motifs and the classic "WE ARE HAPPY TO SERVE YOU" slogan, became a city staple. Over its 40-year run, this cup earned its spot as a New York icon, right up there with yellow taxis and the Statue of Liberty.
The Anthora cup has made its way into movies and TV shows set in NYC like Goodfellas, The Sopranos, and Law & Order. Leslie Buck never got royalties from his design, but he was well-compensated as a salesman. When he retired from Sherri Cup Co. in 1992, they honored him with 10,000 Anthora cups printed with a special message: "It was our pleasure to serve you."
*All images & copyright belong to the original owner unless otherwise stated*