Secret Sauce?

And no, I think the last time I tried to drink anything from McDonald’s was in the 1970s, and I got sick to my stomach. And/or it was that “shake” where the straw collapsed because the petroleum-like sludge in it was so viscous.

My guess (!) is that fountain Coke tastes better because the syrup and carbonated water are mixed literally right there at the point of delivery to you, instead of weeks earlier at a bottling plant. The difference between fresh mixed and two or three week old Coke.

I thought you were going to ask a different question – why does Coke taste better in Hawaii than anywhere else? I was told once (many years ago) that Hawaii Coke is always made with sugar (not the chemical shit that the rest of us get) and sugar naturally tastes better.

I don’t know what ingredients McDonald’s has in their Cokes that others don’t have; but back in the day, McDonald’s had a special deal with Coca~Cola where they had their very own recipe that NO other company was allowed to use!!! That more than likely has changed some by now, but it’s the ONLY explanation I can give you!!!

This is why

All I know is Coca – Cola hits the spot, twelve full ounces, that’s alot.

I get the large Diet Coke from McD’s for a dollar and I agree, it’s better than others. I think because it has a decent amount of ice, so it’s nice and cold, and I think the straw probably has something to do with it, like the article says. Also, the soda is not flat. I was at a 7–11 earlier tonight and I was going to get a Diet Pepsi from the fountain, and it was flat. I walked out and went to McD’s.

McD’s dollar Diet Coke is my go-to.

Huh, so get one of those re-usable straws in wide (or just don’t use a straw!), and have all your carbonated beverages taste better.

You should do a blind test with a friend. Try coke from a variety of sources and with different straws.

My mom used to say McD’s puts a lot of syrup in the ratio of syrup to carbonated water.

The water is probably triple filtered and it’s served at a perfect temperature.

Have a Coke from the soda fountain at the Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta, it’s fantastic, and they talk about the perfect temperature before you take a taste. It’s the smoothest Coca-cola you’ve every had while still being bubbly.

I also have found that Coke at Macaroni Grill is usually delicious too. It’s one of the restaurants I used to break my no caffeine rule.

Note: I drink my Coke without ice and was raised in a Cocaholic household, so I consider myself to be an addict and connoisseur. Lol. I usually drink soda no straw.

I think people missed the part of the article posted above that stated McDonalds adjusts the syrup to water ratio to account for ice melting. Translated, there is more syrup/sugar in their formulation, until the ice melts sufficiently, which probably has a lot to with why people seem to think it tastes better.

Any well run corporate outfit will clean their dispenser nozzles regularly, too, which smaller places often neglect.

^^So, my mom was right.

Some places also have funky tasting ice. Unfiltered water or the machine just isn’t cleaned often or well.

It isn’t as good as an ice cold bottle of Mexican Coca Cola.

^ or as good as an ice cold bottle of Pepsi Cola!

^^^ or Dr. Pepper!

^^ or Squirt, or Ginger Ale, or ever heard of Mr. Pibb?

^^^^sorry, Squirt and Mr Pibb are both horrible. Like drinking Fanta or Tab. And for all those who are going to say they loved Tab, they just liked the taste of cyclamates.

Pibb and Pepper were both bastard children. The only difference was that Pepper got his PhD and Pibb didn’t.

@zenvelo Squirt is the only grapefruit flavored carbonated drink I know of. It’s my all-time favorite! Nothing like Fanta or yuk! Tab!

If you use straws when you taste the soda it is probably because they make the straw openings bigger then normal.