Time To Get Into The Styrofoam Business… Yep Another Shortage
Ok, I'm not a venture capitalist... I'll be the first to admit if I can save a buck or two, I'm all about it. If however I wanted to become a millionaire I'd invest in Styrofoam cups. You might think I'm crazy but hear me out on this one.
If you have been out and about lately especially at fast food joints or even some of the drink only establisments here in Amarillo like HteaO or Texas Tea, You might have noticed that theres an abundance of more generic art drinking cups or even the plain jane white ones and there's occasionally a "Sorry these aren't our normal cups, but the truck hasn't come in." truth is the truck has not only been in and left, it just didn't have any.
There happens to be yet another shortage nationwide and I won't tell you why because for the most part it's the same reason we're short on other items. supply chain disruptions and high demand. at the peak of last year's covid season when many restaurants moved to a take out or delivery only model, demand surged for foam cups, plates and the like leaving shortages and not a lot of folks to run the machines that create more forcing restaurants to get creative. Some have switched to washable reusable cups for dine in while others have reduced sizes and quantities to locate more cups.
Honestly why is it so hard to figure stuff like this out? Starbucks and other chains have fooled around with the idea of a refillable cup. The Sod Poodles do it with their souvenir cups through Toot N' Totum. I'd be fine with filling my yeti at a restaurant instead of those disposable cups, heck my drink would stay colder. Maybe it's time we rethink this. Many say it's a health code thing but how is that different than someone going up with a foam cup with their lip germs on the lid already? Am I right?