“WE ARE HAPPY TO SERVE YOU” – The An Sora Cup, a symbol of New York
When one thinks of a morning in New York, there is a blue paper cup that is just as familiar as the yellow taxis and the hustle and bustle of the morning commute. It is the ‘Anthora Cup’.
The phrase ‘WE ARE HAPPY TO SERVE YOU’, engraved alongside a Greek motif, symbolises a time when the warmth of a cup of coffee was shared on street corners all over New York. But how did this small paper cup become a design icon that has captured the world’s attention?
A design for immigrants
The Anthora Cup was created in 1963 by Leslie Buck, a Jewish designer of Hungarian origin. Leslie Buck was born on 20 September 1922 in Huszt—then part of Czechoslovakia but now within Ukraine—under the name László Büch. László was Jewish and was a teenager when the Second World War broke out. His parents were murdered by the Nazis, and he and his younger brother, Eugene, were deported to the Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps.
The two brothers, Leslie and Eugene, survived the camps and fled to the United States, settling in New York after the war. Whilst working for the paper cup manufacturer ‘Sherri Cup Co.’, he devised bespoke designs for New York diners run by Greek immigrants.
The name of the cup, ‘Anthora’, was a mispronunciation of the ancient Greek jar ‘Amphora’, intended to visually express the pride and traditions of Greek immigrants. The cup featured traditional Greek motifs, a contrast of blue and gold, and the courteous yet warm phrase ‘WE ARE HAPPY TO SERVE YOU’. This phrase went beyond a simple spirit of service to become a statement reflecting the identity of New York, built by immigrants.
The Ansora Cup takes over films and TV dramas
The An Sora cup appears as a staple of Hollywood’s ‘coffee styling’ formula. It was such a deeply ingrained symbol in New York’s public spaces that it was even used routinely at New York City Hall and police stations.
In countless TV dramas such as *Law & Order*, *Law & Criminal Intent*, *Friends* and *Blue Bloods*, the cup held by detectives, journalists and office workers is none other than the An Sora. It also featured in films such as *The Wolf of Wall Street*, *American Psycho* and *Ocean’s 8*, lending a sense of realism to the New York setting.
The An Sora cup was more than just a disposable item; it was part of everyday life, held by millions of New Yorkers on average every day. In the mid-1990s in particular, with over 500 million sold annually, it was hailed by *The New York Times* as ‘the most successful coffee cup in history’. However, in the 2000s, the rise of large chains such as Starbucks and the increasing use of tumblers began to threaten the Ansoora Cup’s position.
In 2005, *The New York Times* referred to the Ansora cup as an ‘endangered relic’.
A paper cup on display at the Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York recreated the Ansoora Cup as a ceramic piece and included it in its design collection. The very fact that a paper cup was being exhibited in a museum was an event that shook the very definition of ‘design’. The An Sora Cup has now established itself not merely as a vessel for coffee, but as a cultural artefact embodying the spirit and identity of New York.
The ceramic version of the An Sora Cup is now available for purchase at the MoMA Design Store and various online boutiques. It’s a way of bringing the atmosphere of your morning commute into your home.
Evoking New York with a single paper cup
Today, the An Sora cup is back in the spotlight. Riding the wave of the retro craze sweeping the US, this cup is once again being hailed as a ‘hip’ item, having established itself as a quintessential New York souvenir and a symbol of retro charm.
And that little cup seems to be saying: ‘We
are happy to serve you.’ Filled not just with coffee, but with the city’s history and warmth.
