I know lots of people who joke about it -- "haha not human until I've had my cup" -- but I've never been anywhere where people treat it like a competition.
Did you read the article? The opening statement points directly to this type of culture (not specifically at work, but in society in general), and your example of people joking about needing their first cup is part of the same. Other commenters in this thread allude to similar.
I’m a little surprised you haven’t been exposed to this type of bragging. (It’s very similar to people who brag about how much alcohol they can drink, which is a very common type of contest people have).
I know lots of people who joke about it -- "haha not human until I've had my cup" -- but I've never been anywhere where people treat it like a competition.