The Diet Coke Phenomena

[DMark]

I have had two students in the last few weeks come up with some comments about Diet Coke that are interesting.

One student, a flight attendant for a major airlines, mentioned in my Psych class that she and the other flight attendants have discovered an interesting phenomenon. Shortly before the long haul flights land (she flies the US to Europe routes), there is a sudden rash of orders for Diet Coke (not regular Coke) by American passengers. These same people didn't drink a single soda, let alone a diet drink, the entire trip. Most drank wine or beer or mixed drinks the entire flight - but they all want a Diet Coke as the last beverage of the trip. Few non-Americans order one at the end of their flight.

The other student, a waitress at a popular restaurant in Las Vegas, mentioned that whenever there are people at a table ordering Coke and Diet Coke, the Diet Coke drinkers will always ask for a minimum of three refills, and the regular Coke drinkers will seldom, if ever, ask for a refill.

My own theory is that non-Americans on the flights don't order Diet Coke as it is not as popular in other countries - at least it isn't in Germany...then again, what is sold as Diet Coke in Germany is truly horrible. Also, I think Americans have begun to treat Diet Coke almost as a palate cleaner...sort of a neutralizer of sorts.

However, I have to admit the waitress has a point - I always drink Diet Coke and am constantly asking for refills, but now that she mentions it, only my fellow Diet Coke drinkers and I are asking for them, and seldom the regular Coke drinkers. I have no explanation for that, but the comment hit home.

Anybody else find what these two women have noted to be true? And if so, any theories about why?

[CanvasShoes]

Caffeine. I don't like regular sodas, too syrup-y, but I do sometimes order a diet coke before landing, especially if I've got to wake up and go to work shortly after the plane lands, or am going to need a little boost to get me through the whole "getacabgotothehotelblahdeblah" that trips entail.

[cmkeller]

Diet Coke drinkers might freely ask for refills because no matter how much you have, it's still zero calories. Regular Coke drinkers, even if they're not particularly watching their weight, might be conscious of the fact that every additional Coke is anothe 100+ calories.

[Rick]

FWIW in Europe Diet coke is Coke Light (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diet_Coke)

[Tikki]

I like the theory of it being a palate cleanser. I used to have multiple refills of Diet Coke in restaurants but in recent years, if I feel the need for a refill at all, I tend to get a half or even a quarter of a glass more. It's usually just enough to wash most of the taste of my meal from my mouth and then I'm good to go.

Never been on a long distance flight so I don't know about drinking Diet Coke before or near the end of a plane trip. Maybe some people feel it settles their stomachs during the flight?

[shimmery]

then again, what is sold as Diet Coke in Germany is truly horrible..
[tiny hijack] Seriously? Coke Light is so much better than Diet Coke! It actually tastes... like Coke! [/tiny hijack]

[Brynda]

Here's another one---I know only two people who are addicted to non-alcoholic drinks, and DC is the drug of choice for both of them.

I say addicted tongue in cheek, but it isn't so far off. Both of them worry when they leave home about having a DC with them (one won't buy purses she can't fit a bottle in, for example), neither of them drink much else, and they both drink tons of it (at least 6 cans a day for each). Neither would consider going for a meal somewhere that didn't serve DC. And it isn't the caffeiene, as both drink caffeiene free.

ETA: Here's the worst of it--they both have "pet names" for it (like smokers with their ciggies) and they have me using them, too. Hence the DC above.

[Malacandra]

FWIW in Europe Diet coke is Coke Light (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diet_Coke)

Except that in Britain it's Diet Coke.

[BobLibDem]

My guess is you drink Diet Coke at the end of a long plane ride so you don't have to pee until you get off the plane. If you drank it earlier, you have to use the airplane potty and some people don't like to.

[OneCentStamp]

[tiny hijack] Seriously? Coke Light is so much better than Diet Coke! It actually tastes... like Coke! [/tiny hijack]
[continuing hijack] That's the problem with it...most Diet Coke drinkers don't want something that tastes like regular Coke. Hence the overwhelming popularity of Diet Coke over Coke Zero in America. [/ch]

[gigi]

[continuing hijack] That's the problem with it...most Diet Coke drinkers don't want something that tastes like regular Coke. Hence the overwhelming popularity of Diet Coke over Coke Zero in America. [/ch]
EXACTLY. I tried Coke One and bleah...it tasted like Coke.

Perhaps Diet Coke drinkers get more refills because it's not as filling as Coke? I don't see how sugared Coke is thirst-quenching or rinses down the meal, but that's me.

[Cat Fight]

I'd say the caffeine (for the passengers. It's the only reason ever drink it, too. Don't liek the idea of sugary syrup swishing around in my mouth, either) and some sort of weird Diet Cokehead obsession for the refills. Seriously, some people (okay, women mostly) are just crazy about the stuff, as Brynda mentioned. Though the ladies I know who go through it are one salad away from an eating disorder. I think DC feels like a guiltless pleasure to them.

[Rick]

Except that in Britain it's Diet Coke.
Last time I was at Heathrow, it was Coke Light. This was 2003 and it came in the littlest cans you ever did see. Seven ounces, maybe.

[Troy McClure SF]

Here's another one---I know only two people who are addicted to non-alcoholic drinks, and DC is the drug of choice for both of them.
I'm one as well, so is another friend. Can't stand the regular stuff. I'm trying to move towards Diet Snapple at the moment, but I could easily drink a six-pack of Diet Coke during one shift at work.

Sometimes when I'm DDing or whatever and a bar doesn't have Diet Coke, I'll order regular Coke. That stuff makes my mouth feel nastier than a night of drinking + vomiting.

[jharvey963]

Here's another one---I know only two people who are addicted to non-alcoholic drinks, and DC is the drug of choice for both of them.

... and they both drink tons of it (at least 6 cans a day for each).

6 cans a day? That's pretty light weight. :D I have a 44-oz cup that I fill up 3 times a day, plus 5 or 6 cans during the course of a day.

And I can quit any time I want. No, really. :D

J.

[Renob]

A lot of European flights are overnight (at least if my experiences flying overseas were typical). I don't want caffeine if I'm trying to sleep, so I have no caffeinated beverages of any kind. However, as you are waking up at the end of the flight (or finally admitting that you'll never get to sleep on the plane) you want some caffeine to perk you up.

[badbadrubberpiggy]

My guess is you drink Diet Coke at the end of a long plane ride so you don't have to pee until you get off the plane. If you drank it earlier, you have to use the airplane potty and some people don't like to.

Yup. At least, that's what I do.

Plus, I like the caffeine & diet Coke (or Pepsi) is generally a lot more palatable than airplane coffee.

[scout1222]

Maybe they know that sodas in Europe are more expensive and often don't refill for free. They're stocking up. :D

[pepperlandgirl]

Diet Coke (not Coke Light) is available in Italy. My addiction is such that I did pay the unbelievable prices (4 freaking euros for a can?! They must have saw me coming a mile away....)

Count me as one of the people who drink diet coke like water. In fact, I just opened the last one in my fridge, and there's nothing like that sinking sensation when you realize it's the last one and you can't rush out to the store.

[scout1222]

Girl, no kidding. I was in Europe for 2 weeks earlier this year. I drank a lot of bottled water initially, but by the end of the second week, I didn't give a shit that it was so expensive. GIVE ME MY DIET COKE.

[AThingWithFeathers]

Here's another one---I know only two people who are addicted to non-alcoholic drinks, and DC is the drug of choice for both of them.


I always order diet coke, and Brynda's got it right. I get headaches if I don't drink it.

It's possible that people who drink Diet Coke have more brand loyalty, or just plain like it more. Some have told me that it's an acquired taste (I grew up with it, my dad was a diabetic), and all diet sodas taste very different (at least to my palate they do). However, many people just order a coke because that's what everyone else is getting or because they have a habit of ordering regular soda rather than actually liking it.

Coke Light is made with Splenda if I'm correct. That is definitely an acquired taste; it leaves an odd aftertaste as well. But regular Coke is sugary and disgusting!

[Alan Smithee]

In fact, I just opened the last one in my fridge, and there's nothing like that sinking sensation when you realize it's the last one and you can't rush out to the store.
I love it when I read a description of a feeling I never thought of putting into words before, but that I immediately recognize and identify with. That "last Diet Coke" down is one I know well.

I laugh at all the scare-mongering people do over artificial sweeteners, but I swear someday they'll discover that aspartame is more addictive than meth, but only in humans, not lab animals. I can drink coffee or tea and stop whenever I want, but one diet soda and I'm off the wagon.

[Unintentionally Blank]

our encryption pop machine has I buttons:

1 coke
1 sprite like something
1 something that slips my mind, and
_5_ diet coke buttons.

There's gotta be SOMETHING goin on here.

[ouryL]

6 cans a day? That's pretty light weight. :D I have a 44-oz cup that I fill up 3 times a day, plus 5 or 6 cans during the course of a day.

And I can quit any time I want. No, really. :D

J.

:D
2 2-liter bottles a day! :p

[Si Amigo]

Last time I was at Heathrow, it was Coke Light. This was 2003 and it came in the littlest cans you ever did see. Seven ounces, maybe.

I was there last week and got Coke Light when I ordered a Diet Coke.

[nevermore]

the airplane thing... that kinda boggles my mind. I'd never have thought. I'm a diet soda drinker, but I've never been on a long haul flight, so I really can't imagine why they'd order alcohol all throughout and diet coke at the end. I think I'd pick one and stick with it.

as for ordering them like mad in restaurants, well, sugared soft drinks can actually fill you up a bit. Diet Coke has no sugar, so it doesn't stimulate glycolysis and trick your body into thinking it's food. I saw some article in a magazine talking about how sugared soda drinkers eat less of their meal because their drinks contribute to the signals that tell them they're full. Don't quote me on it, but it makes sense to me.

[Ximenean]

I was there last week and got Coke Light when I ordered a Diet Coke.
Those were probably bought from discount wholesalers who import Coke Light-branded cans from continental Europe. If you read the labels they sometimes have Cyrillic or even Arabic writing on them. UK low calorie Coke is branded Diet Coke. They taste the same to me though.
Diet Coke (not Coke Light) is available in Italy. My addiction is such that I did pay the unbelievable prices (4 freaking euros for a can?! They must have saw me coming a mile away....)
I can assure you it doesn't normally cost that much. In shops round here it's 55p or 60p a can (about a dollar) for individual cans, obviously much cheaper in multipacks.

[Malacandra]

What Usram said. Buy it in supermarket multipacks and the price starts looking a bit better, but you're doing well to find single (12oz) cans for 50p.

[shimmery]

(sorry to bump and hijack all at once, but:) So, hold on, now - people who drink Diet Coke actually dislike the taste of regular Coke? Oh man, I drink Diet Coke most of the time, for when I want a flavory beverage without senseless calories. But then every once in a while I treat myself to a regular Coke. So crisp! So spicy! So fizzy!

[GuanoLad]

So is Coke Zero something different again? It seems to have entirely replaced Diet Coke here in Australia.

[Czarcasm]

Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society.

[Bill Door]

Except that in Britain it's Diet Coke.

Britain's that island just west of Europe, right?

[An Arky]

If people drink Diet Coke for the caffeine, it's pretty much the equivalent of trying to get high on stems and seeds. It has maybe a third of the caffeine of a cup of coffee. It must be either the aspartame or some secret ingredient that makes people addicts.

[Shirley Ujest]

I have long held the paranoid theory that there is something in Diet Coke that not only makes it highly addictive but somehow secretly fattens people up.



Do you like my new tin foil hat?

[chaoticbear]

I have long held the paranoid theory that there is something in Diet Coke that not only makes it highly addictive but somehow secretly fattens people up.



Do you like my new tin foil hat?

Yes, it's very shiny.

[OneCentStamp]

Do you like my new tin foil hat?
Yes, just don't spill any Diet Coke on it or it'll corrode.

[Fiver]

all diet sodas taste very different You ain't kiddin'. When I'm out my preference is for any of the variations on Diet Dr Pepper, but since you usually can't find that in a restaurant's fountain, I go with Diet Coke as the default.

But, as an impoverished public servant, I buy only store-brand sodas for my home, and have become something of a connoisseuse of the diet varieties.

Kroger's Diet Dr. K is pretty good; it tastes very much like Diet Dr Pepper. Maybe the two doctors studied together.

Publix's diet root beer and Kroger's diet root beer are both tasty, but they have distinct flavors; I'm sure I wouldn't mistake one for the other.

But I have found across the board that all store-brand diet colas are awful. I don't know what it is, but that seems to be the one flavor that none of the store brands can get right.

[Bosstone]

(sorry to bump and hijack all at once, but:) So, hold on, now - people who drink Diet Coke actually dislike the taste of regular Coke? Oh man, I drink Diet Coke most of the time, for when I want a flavory beverage without senseless calories. But then every once in a while I treat myself to a regular Coke. So crisp! So spicy! So fizzy!Absolutely. Regular Coke (and Pepsi, for that matter; I'm a Diet Pepsi addict myself) is far, far too sweet and cloying to drink regularly. My first thought on seeing the waitress's claim that Diet Coke drinkers drink three times as much as regular Coke drinkers was "Well, yeah, I'd be nursing a regular Coke too." It's easier to take larger swigs of a diet soda. I've had a few people ask me "How can you drink that? It's like flavored water." That happens to be exactly why I like diet soda. It serves as a good palate cleanser and is far more refreshing to drink with a meal than a normal soda.

[shimmery]

Absolutely. Regular Coke (and Pepsi, for that matter; I'm a Diet Pepsi addict myself) is far, far too sweet and cloying to drink regularly. My first thought on seeing the waitress's claim that Diet Coke drinkers drink three times as much as regular Coke drinkers was "Well, yeah, I'd be nursing a regular Coke too." It's easier to take larger swigs of a diet soda. I've had a few people ask me "How can you drink that? It's like flavored water." That happens to be exactly why I like diet soda. It serves as a good palate cleanser and is far more refreshing to drink with a meal than a normal soda.
Hm, okay. It seems like we're saying the same thing from opposite points of view, then. As a day to day beverage, to quench thirst or cleanse the palate, Diet Coke is indeed the winner. But that still doesn't mean I think it tastes great. And that once in a while regular Coke is more of a snack unto itself than a meal-side beverage. It's just that once in a while, when I get the craving, I look forward to that Coke with a passion that I could never feel for Diet Coke. I guess that doesn't explain why I like Coke Light, though. Looks like I've got some Coke-related soul searching to do....

[Bosstone]

The only difference being I avoid non-diet cola at all costs. :) Though, I will say that I like drinking regular root beer or citrus soda every now and then; it's mainly just Coke and Pepsi that I can't stand.

[Hello Again]

So is Coke Zero something different again? It seems to have entirely replaced Diet Coke here in Australia.

Yes. A different combination of sweeteners makes it taste much more like "normal coke." For people, like me, who gave up Coke for the calories but never gave up loving the taste of Coke, it is the nectar of the gods. Here, both Coke Zero & Diet Coke exist side by side in many permutations.

I can NEVER understand how anyone can come to prefer the taste of Diet Coke (although I gave up "normal soda" more than 4 years ago, on the rare occaision I have had regular Coke it is sinfully delightful) -- but now that there's Coke Zero I don't have to. :)

[cbawlmer]

I only drink Coke Zero now if I have a choice. Most restaurants don't carry it, so I drink Diet Coke if I'm out, but I prefer Coke Zero (including the Vanilla and Cherry incarnations) because it tastes a lot less like poison. I'm used to the poison flavor if Diet Coke, but I don't prefer it to non-poison, that's for sure.

[RumMunkey]

Diet Coke drinkers might freely ask for refills because no matter how much you have, it's still zero calories. Regular Coke drinkers, even if they're not particularly watching their weight, might be conscious of the fact that every additional Coke is anothe 100+ calories.


Ditto for the end-of-flight spike.

Vacation's over = I should order a Diet Coke since I've taken in enough calories already this week.

[Vinyl Turnip]

I can't speak for the others, but I know why I always order Diet Coke on my flights: it's just the thing to wash down a big mouthful of Mentos.

[Anne Neville]

Plus, I like the caffeine & diet Coke (or Pepsi) is generally a lot more palatable than airplane coffee.

It's also a way to get caffeine into you that is a little easier on the stomach than airplane coffee. I know that serious jet lag can make my stomach feel a little off.

I would get regular Coke if I was feeling really nauseous- it's pretty effective against motion sickness, and Diet Coke isn't. In all other circumstances where I want caffeine, Diet Coke for me, please.

I really can't imagine why they'd order alcohol all throughout and diet coke at the end. I think I'd pick one and stick with it.

I do that sort of thing as a trick to avoid jet lag- start trying to live on the time zone you're going to as soon as you get on the plane. Most flights I've been on to Europe from the US leave in the early afternoon our time, which, with a 5 to 9 hour time difference (depending on where you're starting from and where you're going), that makes it late evening their time, and an appropriate time to drink alcohol. The alcohol might also help to make you feel tired earlier, which is good for adjusting to the time change. In the middle of the flight, I try to sleep (and they turn off the lights on the plane) and don't drink anything. The flight usually gets to Europe in the morning their time, so caffeine is called for. That first day in Europe, I'm trying to stay up until 9pm local time with no naps (this seems to help with adjusting to the time change), so definitely no alcohol until at least dinner time.

[pepperlandgirl]

I'm one of those diet Coke drinkers who loathe the taste of regular Coke. I used to drink regular coke like it was water. Then I stopped drinking soda altogether for about six months, and when I started again, regular Coke was far, far, far, far too sweet.

In fact, I don't like the taste of any Coke products except Diet Coke, and the only other pop I'll drink is certain brands of root beer. I never really thought about that until now. Huh. Weird.

[Fiver]

I can't taste a difference between Diet Coke and Coke Zero.

[butler1850]

My 2L bottle of Diet Coke says that his older brother, sugared Coke is a jerk.

I don't like regular coke, no sir. Too sweet, too sticky, and I need a glass of water when I'm done. With Diet Coke, I just use it to replace water as my day-long drink of choice. But I switch to water when I get home after work.

I get plenty of caffeine thoughout the day, without the spikes that coffee delivers, and without the 100+ calories in a 12oz serving.

[Colophon]

The other student, a waitress at a popular restaurant in Las Vegas, mentioned that whenever there are people at a table ordering Coke and Diet Coke, the Diet Coke drinkers will always ask for a minimum of three refills, and the regular Coke drinkers will seldom, if ever, ask for a refill.
:confused: Who the heck orders Coke/Diet Coke in a restaurant? (Unless, by "restaurant", you mean McDonald's/BK etc.) Drinking Coke with a meal just seems wrong on so many levels.

[pepperlandgirl]

:confused: Who the heck orders Coke/Diet Coke in a restaurant? (Unless, by "restaurant", you mean McDonald's/BK etc.) Drinking Coke with a meal just seems wrong on so many levels.

Um, what are you supposed to drink with a meal?

[Anduril]

[slight hijack] I remember a version of Coke that was marketed for a very short period of time here in the Philippines as a zero calorie soda that didn't have any sweeteners at all. I absolutely loved it - it lacked any sweetness but it was very refreshing. It was pulled out within just a couple of months. [/slight hijack]

[Vinyl Turnip]

Um, what are you supposed to drink with a meal?

Why, Grey Poupon, of course.

[cbawlmer]

:confused: Who the heck orders Coke/Diet Coke in a restaurant? (Unless, by "restaurant", you mean McDonald's/BK etc.) Drinking Coke with a meal just seems wrong on so many levels.

Americans! Probably not at a really upscale restaurant, but at fast food places or the casual dining places we frequent (Chili's, Outback Steakhouse, that kind of place) it's pretty much soda, iced tea, lemonade, or water. Or alcoholic beverages.

[Anne Neville]

:confused: Who the heck orders Coke/Diet Coke in a restaurant? (Unless, by "restaurant", you mean McDonald's/BK etc.) Drinking Coke with a meal just seems wrong on so many levels.

What do you order at a restaurant if you don't want to drink alcohol? Remember, a lot of Americans drive to restaurants. Many of our chain restaurants are located in strip malls, where there really isn't any other way to get to them. I don't tend to go to restaurants I have to drive to, but I'm very much in the minority there.

Most of us don't drink mineral water- it tastes like really bad tap water to me. I might get a glass of tap water at a restaurant if I had driven there and it was too late for caffeinated soda. Otherwise, I'm going to get a Diet Coke.

[cher3]

Also, it's rare for people to drink alcohol at lunch in America, especially on weekdays. Soda and iced tea are the most common things available, other than water.

[Fiver]

Why, Grey Poupon, of course.With your pinky sticking out.

[Colophon]

What do you order at a restaurant if you don't want to drink alcohol?
Water? Sure, I'll occasionally have a coke with a burger, but if you're paying for food you actually want to taste then why would you want to completely mask the flavour with a load of sugary (or sugary-tasting) syrup?

I guess it's a whole different culture. I drink Coke or other sodas maybe two or three times a month, if that, but judging by some of the posts on here it seems that Coke is the "default beverage" for a lot of people and they get through pints of the stuff every day. I couldn't drink that much sweet fizzy stuff without feeling horribly bloated, and I certainly couldn't imagine ordering a Coke in a proper sit-down restaurant.

[An Gadaí]

It's Diet Coke here too (Ireland, also part of Yurp). They've recently launched Coke Zero (or Bloke Coke) for men who think Diet Coke is too gay or girly. I buy Diet Coke but I find it hilarious when I see the competitions, one recently was "Win a Designer Handbag". :D

[Vinyl Turnip]

With your pinky sticking out.

Wow, is that your nickname for yours too?

[Fiver]

Wow, is that your nickname for yours too?My what?