Why Does Soda Taste So Much Different At Fast Food Restaurants?

It seems to be a universally held truth that Coca-Cola from the fountain machine at McDonald's is superior to the average can or bottle bought at the grocery store. McDonald's has explained the many reasons behind this, but it turns out the Golden Arches isn't the only place where soda gets an upgrade.

Soda from most fast food restaurants tastes vastly different to customers than what they would buy at the store. The reason behind this is in the fountain machines themselves. You see, drink machines at fast food restaurants mix the soda and flavored syrup on the spot as it comes out of the fountain, instead of coming out as the ready-to-drink mixture you get from a can. Ice and straw use also play a role in changing the taste of soda at restaurants.

While it's been speculated that McDonald's just happens to have a special relationship with the Coca-Cola Company, many other fast food restaurants use the same or similar types of fountain drink machines and methods to set their soda apart from the canned stuff. After all, McDonald's isn't the only restaurant offering straws and ice with its soda.

Since syrup and carbonated water are loaded into fountain drink machines in separate containers, the amount used can vary by restaurant. Some might use more syrup, making the soda sweeter while others might up the carbonation level.

McDonald's even goes so far as to have its Coca-Cola ingredients delivered in stainless steel containers rather than plastic bags like other restaurants. The Golden Arches also uses a chilled tube to feed the water and Coke syrup into its drink dispenser, which makes for better carbonation. On top of that, McDonald's takes extra care to filter the water going into the fountain machine more than its competitors.

Based on these specialized methods, you may notice a difference between a Coca-Cola or Sprite poured for you at McDonald's versus Burger King. Although the average customer can't control how flavored syrups and carbonated water get mixed behind the scenes, there are parts of the process that do have some user input.

Whether or not you ask for ice in your soda at a fast food restaurant can have a pretty big impact on the taste. When you reach for a can of Coke at a gas station for example, you're probably planning to drink it straight from the can and not go out of your way to find a cup with ice to pour it into. This choice guarantees that a can of soda is going to taste different than what comes out of a drink machine at a restaurant. On the other hand, some people might order a soda without ice in the drive-thru for the specific reason that the ice will water down the sweetness of their drink.

Even the use of a straw can change the way your soda tastes. McDonald's has confirmed it serves its soda with a wider straw to enhance the effects of carbonation and flavor. So, in theory, you could use a straw when sipping soda from a can and at least get a somewhat similar experience (don't forget to use this clever trick to keep the straw in place).

In the end, a lot of this soda mixology is really just about personal preference. Now that you know the truth about sodas in fast food restaurants, just imagine the way your mind could be blown by trying sodas in other countries like Mexico where real sugar is used.