Me? I typically try to get the Nestea Iced Tea (unless they are sportin’ root beer - one of the rare soft drinks I will allow myself on occasion.) No big deal, but I have a system that does not tolerate my sharing the fountain dispenser while I get my tea. I am opening the sweetener and pouring it in while getting ice and grabbing a lemon, squeezing it and dropping it in then getting the tea and moving over to the top-and-straw station - basically arms flailing as I rip, pour, squeeze, toss, hold, fill, etc. Super easy and done in seconds, unless someone tries to horn in and get some Orange Fanta - outta my way, process disruptor!
Other folks I know fill their cup, drink as deeeeeeply as possible, then refill and go (although they will go for another refill on the way out, too)
Some folks mix - like a bit of root beer into a Coke or something
I get diet lemonade or Sprite Zero if they have it. Otherwise I get unsweetened tea, and put my own sweetener in it–liquid stevia, which I squeeze from a small bottle, ten to fifteen drops, wearing an expression like a mad scientist mixing a formula. I do the sweetening at my seat so as not to hold anyone else up.
I miss being allowed to have regular soda. Sometimes you can get Fanta Strawberry or Mountain Dew–yum!
I am pretty normal with Dr Pepper or Cherry Coke, but if a place has both Sprite and strawberry Fanta, I mix those two together. It’s something like two-thirds Sprite and one-third Fanta. I do it with orange Fanta as well, but vastly prefer the strawberry.
Ice, a splash of lemonade, and then fill the cup with diet pepsi/coke (whichever they have). I like to think I gave coke the idea for diet coke with lime - which I love.
A little ice, and then, if they have it, about 40% Cherry Pepsi and 60% regular. Otherwise, just plain Pepsi. I sometimes do refill a bit before I leave, though, depending on what’s happening after that.
Question: how different does that taste from Dr. Pepper?
Question: For you mixers - how did you come by your ratios? I worked at a sandwich shop for a couple years in high school and we wasted so much fountain soda making up weird mixes - like we were bartenders or something…but some were really good (wish I could remember 'em!)
I do nothing special, and quite frankly, never even thought to mix sodas.
But quite frankly, if a bottled or can soda is available, I will order it every time, even though it might be more expensive. I think the Quality Control will always be better than the one in the restaurant or convenience store.
I have too many undrinkable flat or syrupy sodas from fountain dispensers.
