Cup O' Noodles or Cup Noodles?

Cup Noodles or Cup O' Noodles? They seem to have been with us forever, and are particularly well loved by busy students on a budget. Many swear the snack food from Nissin was called Cup O' Noodles, but only see it as Cup Noodles today. However, this one is different... :-)

Instant noodles were invented in 1958 by the guy who went on to found Nissin foods, Momofuku Ando, and in 1971 they were launched in the US.

However - and here's the twist - they really were called Cup O' Noodles in the US until 1993, when they became the plain Cup Noodles. This is an example of the pattern of a Mandela Effect being seen, in that there is little evidence today apart from in people's memories, yet is definitely not one.

World varieties

The first flavour was chicken ramen, and this has become so synonymous with the product it's often just called that.

Many people remember the 60ft Cup Noodle sign which was present for 10 years in Times Square from 1996, near to top of the One Times Square building. The brand is well-known for being the subject of product placement deals. These range from TV shows and computer games, including Star Citizen being manufactured by the fictional Big Benny's company.

There's also a museum in Japan dedicated entirely to the product.