# Unusual fountain drinks **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 11, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508 "2016-11-11T16:31:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/1 "2016-11-11T16:31:50Z")
For the first time ever I saw Vernor’s ginger ale served as a fountain drink. It was at a Halo Burger restaurant near Birch Run/Frankenmuth. Ever see Moxie, Cheerwine, or any other second or third tier (i.e. non-Coke/Pepsi brand beverages) soft drinks served as a fountain drink? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/2 "2016-11-11T17:14:43Z")
> [@Cardigan](#): > > Moxie, Cheerwine, or any other second or third tier (i.e. non-Coke/Pepsi brand beverages) soft drinks :eek: :eek: If it’s not coke or pepsi, it’s 2nd or 3rd tier? OMG, how low have tastes fallen? ☹ The **BEST** sodas are all non coke/pepsi, IMHO. Sprecher’s soft drinks are available on tap in many places in my area. ---
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/3 "2016-11-11T17:23:40Z")
It the past couple of months I visited both Oregon & Arizona and saw multiple places that had ONLY 3rd party soft drinks (i.e. RC Cola, 7up). I was also wondering what the deal was with that. Growing up in PA, and living in MN the last 8 years I’ve only ever seen Coke/Pepsi. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/4 "2016-11-11T17:38:54Z")
The Cookout restaurant in Suffolk, VA has Cheerwine in their soda fountain. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/5 "2016-11-11T18:37:06Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > :eek: :eek: > > If it’s not coke or pepsi, it’s 2nd or 3rd tier? > > OMG, how low have tastes fallen? ☹ > > The **BEST** sodas are all non coke/pepsi, IMHO. > > Sprecher’s soft drinks are available on tap in many places in my area. By 2nd or 3rd tier I mean in terms of sales/popularity. No qualitative judgments implied here. Personally, I agree the best soft drinks tend NOT to have Coke-Pepsi labels. Jones, for instance, makes some great stuff ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/6 "2016-11-11T19:18:40Z")
New York Seltzer was only available as a Fountain drink for a long time at some fast food chains in Eastern Washington. Now it’s back at some retail, but I haven’t seen it as a fountain drink again. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/7 "2016-11-11T19:51:34Z")
Several places here offer Maine Root sodas. There’s a movie theater that has Cheerwine on their fountain drinks which is really unusual since it’s not found in stores here and most people have never heard of it. I like the Coke Freestyle machines where I can get diet raspberry gingerale or diet orange coke or diet cherry vanilla dr. pepper. And if you add a coffee creamer to that you have a cherry vanilla cream dr. pepper which is pretty damned tasty. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/8 "2016-11-13T02:10:44Z")
I love New York Seltzer. Not been able to buy it on Canada for years. I still put a dash of Fruitopia in my diet cola to mimic their Cola & Berry. Our local McD’s have the fancy Coke mixes. Only place here you can get diet grape soda, which is great. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2016, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/9 "2016-11-13T03:21:41Z")
I remember seeing Faygo and Shasta all over our little part of the Midwest. ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/10 "2016-11-13T05:04:35Z")
Plenty of Cheerwine available at fountains here in North Carolina. We moved here from the Midwest, so it stood out to me for awhile. It’s pretty tasty, kind of a Cherry Coke/Dr. Pepper hybrid. Sun Drop is also fairly common here. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/11 "2016-11-13T14:49:01Z")
A friend is addicted to _Sun-Drop Cola._ Sort of a Coke/Squirt/Dew blend with undocumented caffeine levels, from a tiny little bottler in Sauk City, WI. He found it as a fountain drink at a local burger joint; we haven’t seen him since. ---
**Author:** ![GythaOgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@GythaOgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GythaOgg)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/12 "2016-11-13T17:25:11Z")
There’s a small local barbecue chain, Sugarfire, that offers sodas from Excel Bottling (Ski, Lucky Club Cola, Frostie Rootbeer) on the fountain. It’s a nice change. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/13 "2016-11-13T20:36:32Z")
Some of the gas stations around here have an horchata spout. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/14 "2016-11-13T22:28:15Z")
These days anything diet that’s not a cola is rare. It’s quite frustrating for me as someone who wants diet but doesn’t like cola. There used to be convenience stores around here that had 15 sodas in their fountain. It was so nice to have so many to choose from. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/15 "2016-11-13T22:38:10Z")
Root Beer (usually Mug’s), Seven Up, Dr. Pepper and Hi C are usually available for fountain service. ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/16 "2016-11-14T02:53:29Z")
> [@digs](#): > > A friend is addicted to _Sun-Drop Cola._ Sort of a Coke/Squirt/Dew blend with undocumented caffeine levels, from a tiny little bottler in Sauk City, WI. > > He found it as a fountain drink at a local burger joint; we haven’t seen him since. Definitely not a cola…it’s a citrus soda. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/17 "2016-11-14T03:07:06Z")
> [@SpeedwayRyan](#): > > Definitely not a cola…it’s a citrus soda. LOL. The main flavorings in colas are citrus oils. > **[Cola](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cola#Flavorings)** > > Cola is a carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus oils, and other flavorings. Cola became popular worldwide after the American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a trademarked brand, in 1886, which was imitated by other manufacturers. Most colas originally contained caffeine from the kola nut (Cola acuminata), leading to the drink's name, though other sources of caffeine are generally used in modern formulations. The Pemberton cola drink also contained a coc... ---
**Author:** ![tenacious\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tenacious\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tenacious_j)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/18 "2016-11-14T04:00:33Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > LOL. The main flavorings in colas are citrus oils. > > [Cola - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cola#Flavorings) I’d never think to describe Sun Drop as cola. It’s really a grapefruit-citrus drink much like Squirt, that is now branded through the fine people of Dr. Pepper/7-Up. We used to get Green River at one of the local places here. It was never my favorite but now that it’s gone I kind of miss it. ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/19 "2016-11-14T04:19:29Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > LOL. The main flavorings in colas are citrus oils. > > [Cola - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cola#Flavorings) LOL. That doesn’t make Sun Drop a cola by any stretch of the imagination. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508/20 "2016-11-14T05:37:19Z")
If you’re ever in Tacoma, check out Don’s Ruston Market on the northside. Only place I know that sells Green River–both on tap and in bottles. You can even get it as a float. Anybody remember Ramblin’ soda? I used to see it back in the 90s in several places at fountains. The odd thing is you only saw it at fountains, never at sale in stores. I haven’t seen it since I left college in '99. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-fountain-drinks/771508.md?page=2)