# Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 20, 2005, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103 "2005-06-20T19:35:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/41 "2005-06-22T00:59:55Z")
I…I tried Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper the other day. \ One of the most pointless things I’ve done in an already largely pointless life. The black bottle cap and soda noir bottle look cool, can’t argue with that. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/42 "2005-06-22T01:13:42Z")
After reading this thread, I tried Coke Zero today. Tastes like butt. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/43 "2005-06-22T01:57:46Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#): > > I…I tried Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper the other day. > > \ Don’t you go dissing the DCVDP. I’ll go all kung fu on you. DCwS didn’t have the bitterness I demand from a cola beverage. DC straight up is enough to peel paint at times, and that’s just the way I likes it! If the first gulp doesn’t hurt, there’s something wrong with the drink. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/44 "2005-06-22T02:14:42Z")
Dont confuse Sprite Zero with Coke Zero though… Sprite Zero is ““regular”” diet sprite right? ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/45 "2005-06-22T04:15:22Z")
> [@GingerOfTheNorth](#): > > After reading this thread, I tried Coke Zero today. Tastes like butt. That is an insult to butts everywhere. I didn’t think anything could taste as bad as Diet Coke. I was mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/46 "2005-06-22T05:19:19Z")
The whole whole idea is to get more “shelf space” devoted to Coca-Cola products in general. :rolleyes: :mad: ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/47 "2005-06-22T06:34:26Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The whole whole idea is to get more “shelf space” devoted to Coca-Cola products in general. :rolleyes: :mad: At most retailers, doesn’t Coke just lease floor space from the retailer, and comes and stocks their own stuff there? That’s how it works at W_l-M_rt, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/48 "2005-06-22T15:16:38Z")
> [@galt](#): > > If it weren’t for all that “it tastes just like regular Dr. Pepper” crap in their commercials, I’d probably be able to tolerate it, but that shit should not go unpunished. But that’s not what they say. They say it tastes \* more like\* regular Dr Pepper. They never say in comparison to what. I think the implication is that it tastes more like Dr Pepper than Diet Coke tastes like Coke (it does), but they might be saying it tastes more like Dr Pepper than milk taste like Dr Pepper. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/49 "2005-06-22T15:47:51Z")
> [@aktep](#): > > But that’s not what they say. > > They say it tastes \* more like\* regular Dr Pepper. They never say in comparison to what. I think the implication is that it tastes more like Dr Pepper than Diet Coke tastes like Coke (it does), but they might be saying it tastes more like Dr Pepper than milk taste like Dr Pepper. I figured it tasted more like regular Dr. Pepper than, say, Diet Pepsi did. To be honest, most of the Dr. Pepper commercials tended to annoy me, but it’s one of my favorite drinks (of course, in College Station, its’ EVERYONE’S favorite drink, we like the color of the can. Also, when you absolutley need to wake up in the morning, there’s nothign faster than the sugary sledgehammer of chugging a can of Dr. P. ---
**Author:** ![jfortun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2acd7d/32.png) [@jfortun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jfortun)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/50 "2005-06-22T15:53:14Z")
I can’t drink Diet Coke. That aftertaste is just too much for me. I can drink Coke Zero. The aftertaste is subdued or perhaps covered up by a slightly spicier (cinnamon?). Zero isn’t as good as regular Coke, but for me it is an acceptable compromise between taste and calories. I could never get there with Diet Coke. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/51 "2005-06-22T15:56:46Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > of course, in College Station, its’ EVERYONE’S favorite drink, we like the color of the can. Great. Now I have to go dump out my drink and swear off the stuff. Coke’s out too, that red is too close to OU. Guess I’m stuck with RC cola. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/52 "2005-06-22T17:56:10Z")
> [@jfortun](#): > > I can’t drink Diet Coke. That aftertaste is just too much for me. . If you switch to Diet Colas, and drink no sugar sodas at all, then after 2-4 weeks, you’ll find that Diet tastes "right’ and regular tastes “syrupy and too sweet”. The new “Coke 0” may or may not help in this transition. But the important thing is to keep 100% off the sugar (or rather corn syrup) sodas during the entire period. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/53 "2005-06-22T19:21:52Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > If you switch to Diet Colas, and drink no sugar sodas at all, then after 2-4 weeks, you’ll find that Diet tastes "right’ and regular tastes “syrupy and too sweet”. Yup. I knew I just needed to stick with it and the switch would happen and it did. Voila. Diet drinker. I’m a cola fan, but I found it easier to make the switch by drinking Diet Canada Dry and Diet 7-UP. I couldn’t stand the diet colas until I stuck with diet pops for a few weeks. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/54 "2005-06-22T22:28:17Z")
i just finished my first can of coke zero. it tasted like a diet coke that had gone slightly flat ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/55 "2005-06-22T23:46:07Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#): > > I…I tried Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper the other day. > > \ > > One of the most pointless things I’ve done in an already largely pointless life. > > The black bottle cap and soda noir bottle look cool, can’t argue with that. Sounds good, except for the Dr. Pepper part… ---
**Author:** ![CheapBastid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8baadc/32.png) [@CheapBastid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheapBastid)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/56 "2005-06-23T01:11:24Z")
I’m not really a Diet Drinker, but as the metabolism is slowing I’ve been considering it more. C2 was on sale at the store and I found it a good approximation to regular Coke and it didn’t have that nasty Diet aftertaste. Since the thread’s been drifting off of Coke, anyone here like Fresca? My wife got me started on it and it is one of the most refreshing soda beverages out there. Turns out it is calorie free as well with none of that aftertaste ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/57 "2005-06-23T12:54:18Z")
> [@aktep](#): > > But that’s not what they say. > > They say it tastes \* more like\* regular Dr Pepper. They never say in comparison to what. IIRC, when the slogan was first developed, it was after Diet Dr. Pepper had been reformulated. So Diet Dr. Pepper tastes more like regular Dr. Pepper than _the original Diet Dr. Pepper formula did_. I think Diet Dr. P. tastes like watered-down regular Dr. Pepper with a very slight aspartame chemical tang. I don’t remember what the original Diet Dr. P. tasted like, but I do sort of remember having a Diet Dr. P. when it was first reformulated and saying to myself “Hey, those commercials are right! This does taste more like regular Dr. Pepper than it used to!” Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper tastes to me very similar to normal Diet Dr. Pepper with just a hint more cherry. Nothing to write home about. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/58 "2005-06-23T13:17:52Z")
> [@CheapBastid](#): > > Since the thread’s been drifting off of Coke, anyone here like Fresca? My wife got me started on it and it is one of the most refreshing soda beverages out there. Turns out it is calorie free as well with none of that aftertaste Fresca is pretty good with vodka and/or rum. Not a bad drink by itself, but it’s tough to find. And people do give you the looks that they give to Tab drinkers. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/59 "2005-06-24T15:23:31Z")
What? I never knew that Fresca was calorie free. It’s a pretty common soda here; I’d always assumed it was just a competitor to Squirt, which must have corn syrup (well, real sugar down here) because there’s also a diet version. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103/60 "2005-06-24T15:26:37Z")
Oh, meant to add that it tastes good with rot-gut tequila. Gotta use the bad stuff with somethin’, right? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-coke-coca-cola-zero/309103.md?page=2)