AUGUST 31, 2026
7-Eleven – Big Gulp cups.
Big Gulps still remain a 7-Eleven staple that customers flock to. Think of it: You can fill your 32oz beverage with any drink at the dispenser at an affordable price. More often than not, this is a drink for traveling and reuse for future drinks. Easy-peasy, right?
According to what one man allegedly witnessed at a Baltimore location, this may apply to abandoned cups customers leave behind.
Um, What Did He Witness at 7-Eleven?
“When you go to 7-Eleven, get a soda or Slurpee, and take a sip and realize you don’t want no more, what do you think they do with the cup?” TikTok creator Keith Siler (@kutmastersiler) asks, venturing through the convenience store. Most people would probably assume the customer or an employee discards the cup straight into the garbage can.
Then he turns the camera to reveal the answer to over 319,000 viewers: Stacks of freshly washed Big Gulp cups lie upside down to dry. “They wash it! They wash it with hand soap and put it right back,” the content creator remarks. “Nasty, motherf—s.”
People Say It’s A One-Off
7-Elevens are franchise-owned, and procedures may vary from store to store. Even their policies differ on customers refilling Big Gulp cups. However, alleged employees entered the chat, adamantly agreeing that the company does not reuse cups.
“I’m currently on shift at one and WE DO NOT REUSE THE CUPS …. Once it’s trashed it’s TRASH,” one viewer commented.
“Thats your 711. lol i used to work at two locations we definitely did not do that lol,” a second argued.
Another proposed, “I worked for 7-11. There is a good chance these cups just fell out of the sleeve and hit the floor. My manager would just write them off. But some managers will make you wash them and put them away when they are dry. Typically, these are NOT cups [people use]. TYPICALLY idk this store.”
Nevertheless, it didn’t stop some viewers from feeling nauseated.
“The 7-11 is so dirty now. I won’t go,” one commenter said.
“Whole reason I don’t grab the first cup. I pull em all out and grab the last one,” another remarked.
Even a third vouched for the creator, “All them stores are nasty. I’ve seen a worker getting cups out [of the] trash!!!”
Is It Safe To Reuse Plastic Cups?
Whether it’s 7-11 Big Gulps or other convenience stores or fast-food joints, reusing plastic cups can be safe, depending on the type. Most notably, single-use, disposable cups are grounds for concern. Non-profit environmental advocacy group NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) states that all drinks in disposable cups are susceptible to microplastics, regardless of whether it’s hot, cold, or carbonated, with the most being hot and carbonated, acidic drinks like soda.
Healthline conducted a study on how water temperature affects these cups using pure polyethylene (PE) cups and paper cups lined with a polyethylene coating as their test subjects. Indeed, the higher the temperature, the more microplastics are released.
“Microscopic analysis showed that the surface of PE cups became rougher and more irregular after exposure to hot water, likely due to physical degradation, which may have led to greater shedding of microplastics. In contrast, the paper cups with PE lining had smoother surfaces and less surface damage, which likely contributed to their lower microplastic release,” per Healthline.
And if the disposable cup is constantly being washed, the plastic can degrade, exposing you to harmful bacteria.
The Mary Sue reached out to Siler via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment as well as 7-Eleven via press email.
Courtesy: The Mary Sue
