# Freestyle machines - what's your beverage of choice? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2017, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972 "2017-09-22T13:52:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/1 "2017-09-22T13:52:32Z")
Prompted by the other thread asking whether Coke tastes different out of a Freestyle machine. One of the things I like about the Freestyle dispensers is the variety of choices available. As someone who drinks diet pop because I have to watch my sugar intake, one of my pet peeves is the lack of diet choices at a standard fountain machine. Most times the only “choice” is Diet Coke or Pepsi. If you’re lucky (depending on your definition of “lucky” 😉 ) you may also have a choice of Diet Dr Pepper. There is never a diet caffeine free choice (Sprite or root beer or ginger ale). So when I have my choice at a Freestyle machine, my regular drink is a Diet Barq’s Root Beer with vanilla. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/2 "2017-09-22T13:55:16Z")
Cherry Mello Yello Zero Half-peach Half-cherry Mello Yello Zero Cherry-Vanilla Coke Zero(or Coke Zero Sugar) ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/3 "2017-09-22T14:35:30Z")
Diet Coke w/vanilla + either orange or raspberry FYI: Culver’s has a delicious diet root beer!! ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/4 "2017-09-22T14:37:55Z")
I drink Diet Coke, every time. So I don’t really care about the digital 100-flavor soda fountains. Sometimes I’ll grab a Coke Zero or a Lime/Vanilla flavored Diet Coke at the store, but then that just reminds me why I usually don’t bother. Diet Coke already has a hint of vanilla, and tastes fine. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/5 "2017-09-22T14:57:13Z")
I only get the same thing I always get (it just takes longer). But I love the machine. Everyone can get what they want. In Las Vegas in the Coke store across from NYNY, they used to have fountains with all the Coke products from across the world. You have never seen so many foreign-market specific flavors. Stuff I never even heard of, stuff I didn’t even know would work as flavors. It was quite the thing to see. (Even so, I got standard Coke.) ---
**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:** [September 22, 2017, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/6 "2017-09-22T15:21:14Z")
I finally saw one of these inside a McDonald’s when my father was visiting from out of town. For some reason, this particular McDonald’s keeps the iced tea in the drive through, and I had to ask an employee to fill my cup. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/7 "2017-09-22T15:25:17Z")
Hi-C Orange is my default for any soda dispenser, if available. My second default is Orange Fanta. The Freestyle machine, however, I like to try whatever I’ve not seen before. My last Wendy’s visit I tried Raspberry Coke. It was just okay. ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/8 "2017-09-22T16:32:56Z")
Diet Coke. It’s already perfect so why mess with it. My son on the other hand always mixes about 8 different sodas together. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/9 "2017-09-22T16:49:42Z")
The KFC near the store I work at has diet Mountain Dew. Mixed half-and-half with unsweetened iced tea makes for one good drink. ---
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/10 "2017-09-22T17:42:16Z")
Lime Sparkling Dasani! Yeah, I know, boring. But it lets me further my La Croix addiction while eating out. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/11 "2017-09-29T13:38:39Z")
Mello-Yellow with orange. 50% Coke straight, 50% Coke with lime (full-up lime is too… limey) The Fuddrucker’s nearby has their “proprietary” cream soda (it’s pink) and I drink that once in a while for a change of pace. ---
**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:** [September 29, 2017, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/12 "2017-09-29T13:48:55Z")
Cherry Powerade Zero. Unless I need caffeine, in which case it’s Diet Coke. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/13 "2017-09-29T17:11:53Z")
I feel like every Freestyle machine I’ve used doesn’t get cleaned properly and ends up with a limey taste from all the syrup. So I usually just get a Sprite so I don’t notice. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/14 "2017-09-29T17:13:57Z")
Diet. Dr. Pepper. Awww yeah. Although I did have a Diet Barq’s at Wendy’s a few weeks ago and it was damned good. I’ll probably get that more if I am feeling sassy. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/15 "2017-09-29T17:18:05Z")
Beer. (I don’t know what a Freestyle machine is, actually) ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/16 "2017-09-29T17:51:19Z")
A Freestyle machine is a stand-alone, customer-operated soda dispenser with many, many flavors available. If you just want a Coke, Barq’s, etc. you push its button and dispense. But, you can mix any of the flavors available and there are a lot. But you know what you can’t get (besides beer)? Caffeine -free Coca-Cola–the flavor I most wish it had and cannot understand why it does not. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/17 "2017-09-30T15:18:20Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Beer. > > (I don’t know what a Freestyle machine is, actually) It’s a free-standing soda [fountain](https://robertkaplinsky.com/work/how-many-soda-combinations-are-there-on-a-coke-freestyle/) that offers a large number of sodas, some with “flavorings” (cherry, vanilla, lime, etc) available for some sodas and not others – Mr. Pibb for example. Scroll about a third of the way down for a view of how many combinations there are. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/18 "2017-09-30T17:11:50Z")
I don’t like carbonation. I find it too acidic, and I don’t care for the after-effects of ingesting gas. Unsweetened iced tea is my first choice, but if it’s a school night, I go with water with lemon. Thankfully the water here, while not being as good as the well water I grew up with, is drinkable. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/19 "2017-09-30T17:39:45Z")
It’s pretty much always Diet Barq’s for me. You never come across that option in your more standard fountain dispensers. That said, I really ought to explore the possibilities next time around. I have such a dreadful habit of happening upon one thing that I really enjoy and just remaining in that rut forever instead of seeing what else is out there. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972/20 "2017-09-30T18:02:13Z")
Never seen one. Interesting! Learn something on The Dope every day! But my answer remains the same. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freestyle-machines-whats-your-beverage-of-choice/796972.md?page=2)