# Do you think gas station fountain drinks taste different to restaurant fountain drinks? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2011, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-gas-station-fountain-drinks-taste-different-to-restaurant-fountain-drinks/589651 "2011-07-20T00:25:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-gas-station-fountain-drinks-taste-different-to-restaurant-fountain-drinks/589651/21 "2011-07-20T06:11:48Z")
ReGARDLESS, IF THEY ARE rEstaurant or gas station, I think there are many fountains that aren’t calibrated or cleaned regularly. THEY ARE OFTEN NEGlECTED OR IGNORANCED. It;s a failure in each individual proprietary to keep their fountain drinks clean, balanced, and regular. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-gas-station-fountain-drinks-taste-different-to-restaurant-fountain-drinks/589651/22 "2011-07-20T06:14:37Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > I assume you two are joking, and actually do understand that pathogenic strains of coliforms, and coincident organisms, can cause gastroenteritis (and worse) and sometimes kill you. I drink at least one fountain soda a day. Not healthy, I know, but it’s what gets me through the morning. Hasn’t killed me yet. I think. > [@devilsknew](#): > > Rea]staurant or gas station I think there are many fountains that aren’t calibrated or cleaned reglarly. THEY ARE OFTEN NEGKECTED OR IGNORANCED. You can say that again. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-gas-station-fountain-drinks-taste-different-to-restaurant-fountain-drinks/589651/23 "2011-07-20T06:37:56Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > ReGARDLESS, IF THEY ARE rEstaurant or gas station, I think there are many fountains that aren’t calibrated or cleaned regularly. THEY ARE OFTEN NEGlECTED OR IGNORANCED. It;s a failure in each individual proprietary to keep their fountain drinks clean, balanced, and regular. Wheeeeee! Joe ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-gas-station-fountain-drinks-taste-different-to-restaurant-fountain-drinks/589651/24 "2011-07-20T15:37:31Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > I assume you two are joking, and actually do understand that pathogenic strains of coliforms, and coincident organisms, can cause gastroenteritis (and worse) and sometimes kill you. Yet somehow, 50% of soda fountains tested in the area had coliforms, but produced no outbreak of food born illness. Think of how many people drink fountain soda from gas stations and fast food restaurants, 50% of their drinks were “contaminated” but there were no reported illnesses. The overwhelmingly vast majority of these contaminations are not dangerous, to the point where an actual outbreak is big news. Yes, I wash my hands after wiping my butt. I also know that my faucet, toothbrush and bathroom cup would all test positive for coliform bacteria, as would pretty much everyone else’s. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-gas-station-fountain-drinks-taste-different-to-restaurant-fountain-drinks/589651/25 "2011-07-20T15:41:49Z")
In general, they’re pretty much the same to me. But in one incident just last week, I got a very flat soda at a gas station. Ironically for a “gas” station, it seems they weren’t putting the right amount of CO2 in their sodas. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-gas-station-fountain-drinks-taste-different-to-restaurant-fountain-drinks/589651.md?page=1)