What the parents of toddlers have known for years, the Broadway theater establishment has recently discovered: Sippy cups save upholstery. Traditionally, theatergoers have not been allowed to take their drinks to their seats (with the exception of bottled water). But with so little time available pre-show and during those 15-minute intermissions to buy and then consume the theater bar’s over-priced drinks, Broadway producers discovered that they could increase their profits on refreshments if the audience members were actually allowed to bring their wine, beer, and soda with them back to their seats.

The problem is, even grown adults are known to spill drinks, especially when there are no cup holders available. Part of the Broadway mystique comes from most of the theaters providing a bit of old fashioned luxury, with ornate interior design, beautiful light fixtures, handsome red curtains, and plush seats. The last thing that Broadway theatergoers–most of whom have paid a pretty penny for their show tickets–need is the icky, sticky experience that we often get at movie theaters, where spilled food and drinks make a mess of every surface in sight.

Enter the sippy cup. Sturdy spill-proof cups are now used at virtually all Broadway theaters, creating peace of mind for all involved. These souvenir cups are also often emblazoned with the show’s logo or the theater name, and they can be taken home and re-used, which surely makes audiences feel at least a little better about the absurdly high price that they have to pay for their drinks.