Nicola Twilley constructs a history of the white plastic coffee lid:
The very earliest patent for a drink-through lid — Roy Irvin Stubblefield’s “Cap for Drinking Glasses, filed on April 27, 1934 — was designed for cold beverages. … It wasn’t until 1975 that Walter Elfert and James Scruggs came up with the fold-back tab that could attach itself to the lid to stay out of the drinker’s way. And, according to [lid collector Louise] Harpman, “the true efflorescence in drink-through lid design and production can be traced to the 1980s, when we, as a culture, decided that it was important, even necessary, to be able to walk, or drive, or commute while drinking hot liquids.” Twenty-six new patents were issued in the 80s alone, for refinements in “mouth comfort, splash reduction, friction fit, mating engagement, and one-handed activation.”
(Photo by Flickr user mtsofan)
The Dish 