I used to love 7-up until they changed the formula. Tried it once and never did again.
Here in NE, RC Cola is impossible to find. 7 Up is still around-not very popular. But Squirt has vanished-it was available at a local chain (Johnnie’s), but Johnnies sold out to Whole paycheck (Foods).
That little throwaway remark made me laugh. A while back I was indulging in my sometimes hobby of researching unsolved murders. There’s a suspect in one case that allegedly used the CB handle “Hotjock.” I’m not sure what I was thinking, Googling the name “Hotjock” with safe search off.
Anyway, I think 7-Up faced another problem in the soda wars: it was too easy to imitate. Coca-Cola and Pepsi are complex blends of flavors whose formulas are simply too obscure for “store brands” to get right. I’m sure you’ve had a “generic cola” which doesn’t taste either like Pepsi or Coke, but has a little too much orange or a little too much vanilla or is just off in some way. 7-Up is just lemon and lime and it’s proven fairly easy for store brands to produce a passable knockoff. Obviously that’s not a big deal in the restaurant biz where distribution is king, but on the supermarket shelves faced with 7-Up or a store knockoff lots of people are going to buy the knockoff because it’s just as good and cheaper. That’s not a problem Coke, Pepsi, or Dr Pepper have.
Plastic bottle 7 Up is still the beez
Same here. IIRC, they changed the formula in the late 90s to give it more of that artificial flavor that Sprite has.
7Up always tastes moldy to me. All of the other clear sodas taste better.
Because Pibb (Extra!) does not taste enough like Dr Pepper to satisfy the drinkers. People who like Dr Pepper will drink cola or water over Pibb. They complain.
I used to think Dr Pepper was Pepsi brand, but then learned it’s actually independent. So Coke will let Dr Pepper into their fountain line without surrendering territory to the real enemy.
For real fun, Pottbelly’s has a fountain with both Coke and Pepsi (and Dr Pepper - I don’t recall the lemon-lime options).
Pibb Zero - makes sense. First it was Mr. Pibb, because it was like Dr Pepper. Then they tried to get snazzy and dropped the Mr. and became Pibb Extra. Of course they have to have a diet version, and the current marketing wave is calling those Zero Calorie.
Interesting. It has been decades since I’ve tried 7-up. When I was a kid, I thought 7-up had a weird aftertaste, sort of like the Pepsi aftertaste. Sprite didn’t have that. So I became a Sprite drinker. A few years ago I got fed up with lemon-lime drinks. Decided I just don’t care for lemon.
I have seen Dr Pepper machines, as well as Snapple machines.
Not sure which campaign I liked better
Make 7
Up yours
or the uncola guy.
As ‘edgy’ and sort of funny as those “Make 7 Up Yours” ads were, I always felt that they really, *really *didn’t work. At best they came off as confusing and a little too self-indulgent, and at worst hip to the point of smugness, the “up yours” part a little bit offensive, and worst of all more than a little bit desperate. And their dnL campaign was even worse…
I’d toss his caber 
Oh, I’m sure the ads weren’t good overall for 7up, just I liked them. I am so not the general public.
You clearly don’t live near a bunch of Mexicans. Fanta’s really popular in that community in the US.
And I think that if it weren’t for Texas rednecks, Dr. Pepper would have withered out long ago. Those folks drink Dr. Pepper and only Dr. Pepper when they’re not drinking cheap-ass beer from what I can tell.
And, it’s hwaaaaay too carbonated. Every time I open a bottle it fizzes out. And, I get belches.
Well, according to Sheldon Cooper, his mother has a mild Dr. Pepper addiction. 
[slight hijack]
7-Up. You like it, it likes you. Quench your thirst with 7-Up.
The bottle with the big “7” on it and “U-P” after. 
[/slight hijack]
I don’t really like lemon-lime sodas that much, but I’ve been drinking caffeine free sodas more as I need to see a cardiologist to make sure nothing is wrong with my heart. Anyway, I disagree with the people who think Sprite is better than 7-up. To me, Sprite tastes artificial whereas 7-up has a much nicer, cleaner flavor. And I don’t think the 7-up formula has changed, it has always tasted the same to me. Sierra mist, on the other hand, HAS changed. It used to be delicious, and now it’s the worst lemon-lime soda. It has a diet taste to it. I also used to think Slice was nasty.
Where does a Grizzly Zombie post?
Wherever he wants to.
I’m not surprised that this thread was bumped, I’m surprised that a thread about 7-up could go for three pages.
Yeah, I’ve never liked Sprite. It’s okay if you’re using it to mix with something else, like orange juice, and there’s no 7-up available, but on it’s own, I won’t drink it.
I barely remember Sierra Mist, but I know I drank it, so it’s better than Sprite.
Slice, I don’t even consider part of the category. Weren’t there a bunch of Slice flavors? I seem to remember orange for some reason, which would put it in competition with Crush, not 7-up.
For me, it came when I switched from sugared to diet sodas. Diet 7-Up is just plain sad. The sugared stuff had a mouth feel that complemented the taste really well. The diet stuff has a metallic taste.
Which is why Sprite is Not The Same. I could tell the difference just looking at them in ice. Sprite didn’t have the same “swirling” look to it that led to 7-Up feeling right on the tongue.
Sierra Mist has Stevia in it now. That’s a “natural” sweetener, but not everyone likes the taste. My mom thinks it has a very artificial taste, and the aftertaste lingers a long time.