how did the 20 oz. bottle come to be the standard size for soft drinks? why not a measurement that is more standard, like 16 oz, or 24 oz.? Is it all marketing, or is 2 1/2 cups the most satisfying amount of soda?
I’ve wondered that myself. I’d venture to guess it’s another example of the ‘supersizing’ of America.
As a kid in the late sixties I remember the 10 oz bottle was about standard, just a gulp or so behind a 12 oz can. the occasional 16 oz bottle would inevitably be split between two kids by someone’s mother (usually mine).
16 and 10 oz seemed to co-exist placidly throughout the 70’s, though I don’t recall seeing many 10 oz bottles after 1976 or so. 16 oz eventually became the standard throughout the eighties and into the 90’s, when the 20 oz began it’s push.
Twenty oz is a bit much, IMHO, but often enough it’s the only thing you can get at the deli or bodega.
I know this doesen’t quite answer the OP, but since it’s given me a chance to explore my own thoughts on the matter, I figure maybe others have noticed the same trends as I. For the northeast US, at least.