# How do you prefer your Coke Floats? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [September 6, 2019, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790 "2019-09-06T15:38:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/1 "2019-09-06T15:38:00Z")
I went by Dairy Queen yesterday and requested only one scoop of ice cream in my large Coke Float. That seemed to confuse the server. You want less ice cream than what we’d give you? Why yes. I’m hot & thirsty and I consider a Coke Float a beverage. Ideally, I try to have a can Coke in the car. So I can add my own to the ice cream jammed in the cup. Dairy Queen and Sonic usually fill the cup with ice cream and maybe five sips of Coke. ☹ Sonic used to sell blended Coke Floats. They called them Frosties and they were my go to order for 30 years. I miss them so much. I make them at home now with a hand mixer. They should be a little thinner than a milkshake. ---
**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 6, 2019, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/2 "2019-09-06T15:54:16Z")
Coke floats don’t really “float” my boat. Give me a root beer float instead. Then I like more ice cream. I like to stir it up so it’s nice and thick. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/3 "2019-09-06T15:56:24Z")
With root beer instead of coke. Since you had other soda in the poll I’m assuming that’s allowed. With the root beer I want more ice cream. Chocolate which I guess is not usual. Most seem to want vanilla. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/4 "2019-09-06T16:01:45Z")
I started to say Soda Floats but it sounded odd. 😉 Coke Float can use any Soda you like. I make a float at home with Orange Crush and Vanilla ice cream. Root beer floats are good too. I’ve tried a Black Cow and didn’t like it. I’m not sure why. I do like a dish of chocolate ice cream. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/5 "2019-09-06T16:03:57Z")
I think they were confused because Dairy Queen has soft serve. They weren’t sure how to define a scoop of soft serve. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/6 "2019-09-06T16:12:20Z")
I like my Coke floats with French vanilla ice cream and Vernor’s ginger ale and no Coke. I believe it’s called a “Boston cooler,” even though Vernor’s is from Detroit. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/7 "2019-09-06T16:27:49Z")
About 50/50 if I could. I, too, like it best after the ice cream melts and I can mix it in ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/8 "2019-09-06T17:36:19Z")
A&W Root Beer, one scoop of chocolate. The soda goes in first. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/9 "2019-09-06T17:40:18Z")
Root beer, please. I like my Coke straight. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/10 "2019-09-06T18:09:30Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > I like my Coke floats with French vanilla ice cream and Vernor’s ginger ale and no Coke. > > I believe it’s called a “Boston cooler,” even though Vernor’s is from Detroit. Ah, Vernor’s. Haven’t thought about it in years. I’ve lived and/or traveled over a lot of the east coast and have seen it in exactly one store, in Virginia, and that was in 1979 or so. Good to know it’s still around. The OP mentions one scoop in a large drink. Not sure what “large” means these days, but I’ll go with one scoop also, in a 16 oz drink. This too I haven’t had in years, from around that same time. But I can still feel on my tongue the ever-so-slightly crystallized bits around the edges of the ice cream immediately after you plopped it in. And we called them ice cream floats and never named the particular brand of _pop_ we used. ---
**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 6, 2019, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/11 "2019-09-06T18:14:26Z")
Ice cream in a bowl. Soda in a glass next to it. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/12 "2019-09-06T18:26:04Z")
I generally go for about a 50/50 mix, maybe more soda than ice cream if I want to be picky. Anyone else tried strawberry ice cream in a glass of lemonade? It’s kind of yummy. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/13 "2019-09-06T18:31:03Z")
Just one scoop of ice cream, because it’s supposed to melt into the soda in ribbons of creamy deliciousness. But that wouldn’t help if I was thirsty. If I’m thirsty I need a huge glass of water with plenty of ice if you’ve got it. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/14 "2019-09-06T18:44:44Z")
a) hard ice cream, not soft-serv b) I like to fill the glass with scoops of ice cream, but _loosely_, with air spaces c) A 12 oz can of carbonated beverage\*, chilled as if for drinking standalone, but it won’t all fit when you first pour it. The foam comes up. Scoop off a layer of foam with your spoon (_and EAT it of course_). Repeat the pour. Repeat the scoop. Repeat the pour a third time. You should have most of the soda can’s contents inside the glass now! d) Utilize both a spoon and a soda straw. e) If you’ve done this correctly, you should end up with dissolved ice cream in your remaining soda at the very bottom, not a lump of soda-less ice cream. f) And if you did it correctly, the ice cream, back when you had some, should have little crunchy cavities of frozen soda ensconced within the ice cream scooplets. - Yes, root beer is the #1 especially for vanilla ice cream for the ice cream. - But variety is a good thing in life. Cola over vanilla is quite nice. But use some imagination. Black cherry soda over cherry garcia! Oh, what’s that, the only ice cream in the house is chocolate, and root beer over chocolate ice cream just isn’t a good mix? Got any ginger ale (or better yet ginger beer) handy? Pour THAT over chocolate ice cream, it works really well. Dr Pepper over pistachio ice cream is surprisingly good. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/15 "2019-09-06T19:13:23Z")
I find that a lot of ice cream and a little horchata liqueur is quite nice. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/16 "2019-09-06T19:40:21Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > c) A 12 oz can of carbonated beverage\*, chilled as if for drinking standalone, but it won’t all fit when you first pour it. The foam comes up. Scoop off a layer of foam with your spoon (_and EAT it of course_). Repeat the pour. Repeat the scoop. Repeat the pour a third time. You should have most of the soda can’s contents inside the glass now! Thanks, this helps answer the question I’ve been meaning to ask since 1999 “How do I make a soda float with the least amount of foam? Drink first or ice cream first?” ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/17 "2019-09-06T21:16:59Z")
**Other** : 50/50 for me, too. We call this a Brown Cow. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/18 "2019-09-06T23:14:53Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’ve tried a Black Cow and didn’t like it. I’m not sure why. I do like a dish of chocolate ice cream. Growing up, for me Black Cow was a root beer (or sometimes Coke) float with vanilla ice cream. I see that the term can mean different things in different places. Looking it up, I see that it can mean a root beer float, a Coke float, one of those with chocolate syrup, or vanilla custard blended with root beer (as in parts of Wisconsin.) I’ve actually never had the chocolate syrup version. Anyhow, I’m not big on floats, but when I’ve had them, my preference was for a single scoop of (non-soft serve) vanilla ice cream in root beer. I remember back in the 80s introducing them to my cousins at a little cafe in a small farming village in Poland, thinking they’d be disgusted by the idea of dumping a scoop of ice cream into a perfectly good Coke but, hey, it caught on, and next thing I knew, our little pre-teen clan would go down to the cafe a couple times a week and order a glass of coke and a little cup of ice cream and make ourselves a _czarna krowa_ (“black cow.”) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/19 "2019-09-06T23:21:57Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Sonic used to sell blended Coke Floats. They called them Frosties and they were my go to order for 30 years. I miss them so much. I make them at home now with a hand mixer. They should be a little thinner than a milkshake. Root beer shakes should be up your alley. Silver Diner used to offer 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2019, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790/20 "2019-09-06T23:34:03Z")
1. Chill glass. 2. Add enough vanilla ice cream to fill half the volume of the glass. 3. Slowly pour one of: root beer, cream soda, ginger ale, or orange pop. Colas are contraindicated. 4. Slurp up the foam, and repeat step 3 until you’re out of pop. 5. Eat ice cream with spoon. 6. Drink remaining liquid. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-prefer-your-coke-floats/839790.md?page=2)