Just use your shifting hand to keep the cup from tipping. And I learned my lesson twice, damn Burger King cups with that tiny base and huge upper section! But I must say, compared to most cupholders, ours are pretty good. The big one holds the midsized Gatorade bottles with ease, and the smaller one is perfect for Snapples and Sobes. Works fine for medium coffee cups too. You could always use black poster board and double sided tape to add an extra lip to increase cup holder wall height too. Ok enough, too much energy spent on talking about cup holders.