# Anybody seen the new little coke cans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [January 20, 2004, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289 "2004-01-20T04:53:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Freiheit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e8c25b/32.png) [@Freiheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freiheit)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/1 "2004-01-20T04:53:01Z")
I was at my local WinCo today, and some red little cans caught my eye. They were small and narrow, with minimalist design. The little type reassured me that it was the original formula. I picked up a dozen. These are perfect for me! I drink gallons of water every day, and I enjoy coke too, but I can’t hardly finish a can. Twelve ounces is just too big for pop. Too bad these probably won’t be around for long. Americans don’t want less soda, they want a Colossal Gulp. It’s probably a test-dealy for my area. I guess Salem, Oregon is as good as any other place, even though I usually hear about these tests in big cities. I feel European when I drink them. ---
**Author:** ![Freiheit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e8c25b/32.png) [@Freiheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freiheit)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/2 "2004-01-20T05:06:55Z")
stupid. stupid. you’d think i could master the concept of forums by now. sorry, mods. help? ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/3 "2004-01-20T05:20:24Z")
I’ve never seen “skinny, minimalist” cans, but there are short, squat 8-ounce cans (they look like the regular 12-ouncers had babies) all over the place. I’ve seen them both in a small town in New York and a small town in Texas, so I assume they’re nationally distributed. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/4 "2004-01-20T06:51:49Z")
We have the teensy cans here in Albuquerque, NM (at an independent local grocer, no less). I know because my younger daughter saw them and absolutely _had_ to buy one, just to have the can. The clerk at the grocery store said that they’re a “limited edition” can. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/5 "2004-01-20T07:04:22Z")
Got them here in Chicago suburbia. Actually, the ones I saw were from Pepsi so if it’s a limited edition from Coke, someone at Pepsi must have wanted to ride the same train. I like them. Mainly for my son who doesn’t need 12oz of soda at a shot and opened cans of soda don’t age very well. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/6 "2004-01-20T12:22:28Z")
The can caught my eye at the grand opening of Fry’s in Washington, so I bought one. (Waiting in line for 2 hours makes you thirsty.) The can is straight from top to bottom; it doesn’t taper at the ends. An insignificant difference, but it’s oddly intriguing… After that first day Fry’s never stocked it again. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/7 "2004-01-20T12:29:34Z")
We have a Fry’s in WA now? PRAISE JEBUS! Too bad it’s so damn far from Olympia. Almost makes up for the sudden loss of goatse… ---
**Author:** ![oAMADEUSo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@oAMADEUSo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oAMADEUSo)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/8 "2004-01-20T12:38:18Z")
I remember seeing them about 15 years ago here in the UK. I cant remember if it was normal coke or not but there was a cherry coke. On a side note does coke taste different t anyone nowadays comapred to 10 to 15 years ago? takes weaker to me. I dont know if its because I drink about 10 cups of coffee a day now or what. Have they watered it down? Or have they changed the “vegetable extracts” ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/9 "2004-01-20T13:10:39Z")
We don’t drink a lot of pop around our house. Not even a can a week. When my niece comes over, she’ll leave two or three half-consumed cans laying around :wally . I must buy a bunch of this and keep it stashed for when she’s over. What is the life expectancy of canned beverages? ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/10 "2004-01-20T18:37:31Z")
Are they the same cans you get served on planes? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/11 "2004-01-20T19:07:27Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > We don’t drink a lot of pop around our house. Not even a can a week. When my niece comes over, she’ll leave two or three half-consumed cans laying around :wally . I must buy a bunch of this and keep it stashed for when she’s over. What is the life expectancy of canned beverages? Look on the bottom of the can. It’s often hard to read, but there’s an expiration date on almost everything. Regular sodas with sugar have pretty long shelf life - around a year or so. Diet drinks have a short life - just two ro three months before the aspartame breaks down, making the drink taste foul. Heat will hasten the breakdown, so keep your cans cool! ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/12 "2004-01-20T19:27:24Z")
> [@Rabid\_Squirrel](#): > > Are they the same cans you get served on planes? The last times I’ve flown the attendants poured from full-sized cans. On some flights they left the can and on other flights they split it between passengers, which I found unconscionably cheap on their parts. I realize airlines operate on a pretty thin profit margin but I don’t think allotting a full soda per passenger is going to break them. As for the little cans, I noted them in Madison this week. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/13 "2004-01-20T21:51:25Z")
> [@oAMADEUSo](#): > > I remember seeing them about 15 years ago here in the UK. I cant remember if it was normal coke or not but there was a cherry coke. I saw them quite recently in Woolworths in quite a wide variety - they were piled into dump bins near the pic ‘n’ mix. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/14 "2004-01-20T22:52:25Z")
[QUOTE=Freiheit] I was at my local WinCo today, and some red little cans caught my eye. They were small and narrow, with minimalist design. The little type reassured me that it was the original formula. I picked up a dozen. These are perfect for me! I drink gallons of water every day, and I enjoy coke too, but I can’t hardly finish a can. Twelve ounces is just too big for pop. Too bad these probably won’t be around for long. Americans don’t want less soda, they want a Colossal Gulp. It’s probably a test-dealy for my area. I guess Salem, Oregon is as good as any other place, even though I usually hear about these tests in big cities. [QUOTE] Ooh! I want some! Is this the WinCo on Lancaster or on Commercial? Betcha weren’t expecting another local to chime in, were ya? – Justin ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/15 "2004-01-21T00:10:14Z")
I’ve seen them too, here in San Francisco. At first, I though Coke had made an energy drink, since the cans I’ve seen are the same size and shape as Red Bull and its clones. Then I was just annoyed when I inspected that label and saw that it’s just plain old Coke. Neat little cans, though. ---
**Author:** ![Freiheit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e8c25b/32.png) [@Freiheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freiheit)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/16 "2004-01-21T00:39:17Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > Ooh! I want some! Is this the WinCo on Lancaster or on Commercial? > > Betcha weren’t expecting another local to chime in, were ya? > > – > Justin ## Wow! Nope, I wasn’t. (s. commercial winco.) I wasn’t expecting such response on this thread, either, after less than 24hrs. Today a friend told me about some miniature glass coke bottles they have just around the new year. Cool. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/17 "2004-01-21T01:56:33Z")
> [@Troy McClure SF](#): > > I’ve seen them too, here in San Francisco. At first, I though Coke had made an energy drink, since the cans I’ve seen are the same size and shape as Red Bull and its clones. Then I was just annoyed when I inspected that label and saw that it’s just plain old Coke. Neat little cans, though. Annoyed didn’t quite cover it for me, when I saw them. The store had them priced at $1.99 per CAN. I couldn’t believe it. I examined the ingredient and nutrition information labels and found out it was just plain old Coke Classic tarted up to make people think they were getting an energy drink. I got so mad I started composing a Pit rant in my head. Then I started to imagine the responses from the champions of Free Enterprise, and decided to just be sad that the product stood a good chance of carving out a niche in the market. ---
**Author:** ![Stage\_Manager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stage_manager/32/7267_2.png) [@Stage\_Manager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stage_Manager)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/18 "2004-01-21T02:22:47Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I saw them quite recently in Woolworths in quite a wide variety - they were piled into dump bins near the pic ‘n’ mix. Didn’t Woolworth’s go out of business, like, five years ago? Or more? ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/19 "2004-01-21T04:43:27Z")
Might be closer to ten years. > [@Alereon](#): > > We have a Fry’s in WA now? PRAISE JEBUS! Too bad it’s so damn far from Olympia. Almost makes up for the sudden loss of goatse… It’s in Renton, very close to Boeing. Which isn’t far from Olympia. The drive takes about an hour, unless you’re my cousin and it’s two in the morning. Then it’s a half hour tops. ---
**Author:** ![Freiheit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e8c25b/32.png) [@Freiheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freiheit)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2004, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289/20 "2004-01-21T05:08:20Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Annoyed didn’t quite cover it for me, when I saw them. The store had them priced at $1.99 per CAN. Uh… Whoa. 34c here, I believe. Go punch that store for me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-seen-the-new-little-coke-cans/225289.md?page=2)