Your Guide to Carbonated Beverages Around The Globe
by Jenners • 06/05/2009 • Lessons Learned • 32 Comments
Last week, I asked you what you called carbonated beverages like Coke and Pepsi. As usual, my brilliant and (as it turns out) geographically diverse readership came through with tons of answers (if you define “a ton” as “45 comments”).
Armed with this data and a brain that functions like a supercomputer (if you define “supercomputer” as “a middle-aged woman who is shaky in math”), I’ve put together the definitive guide to how to order carbonated beverages in about 29 states as well as four countries outside the U.S. — including Australia, Denmark, the U.K. and Canada (two provinces).1
SODA: California, Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington DC area, Seattle, WA.
POP: Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Washington (outside Seattle), Canada (Ontario)
COKE: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas. (Basically, the South)
SOFT DRINK or FIZZY DRINK: Australia, the U.K., and Canada (Manitoba)
COLA: Denmark
TONIC: Massachusetts
Dan from The Art of Panic reports that Colorado is easy-going and will accept pop, soda or coke. But apparently they are confused about what to call milk-based concoctions. Here in my neck of the woods, I call them milkshakes, but Dan was calling them shakes, malts or frappes.
Also, several people mentioned that there is a difference between soda and pop in rural and urban areas in their state — with urban areas favoring “soda” and rural areas favoring “pop.” Interesting.
And as far as my other carbonated beverage queries:
- 97% of you agree that Mountain Dew is urine and/or toxic waste.
- Apparently, Fanta is a cool drink among the tween set nowadays.
- Pretty much all of you agreed with me that Dr. Pepper DOES NOT equal root beer.
Several of you were quite witty in your remarks about Mr. Pibb. Heather at …and now I’m a grown-up shared a line from one of her favorite comedians, Mitch Hedberg:
Mr. Pibb is a replica of Dr Pepper, but it’s a bullshit replica, cause the dude didn’t even get his degree. Why’d you have to drop out and start making pop so soon?!
And Janna Bee from Janana Bee
Mr. Pibb = Dr. Pepper’s less educated cousin.
Finally, Jenni Jiggety2 from Jiggety Jigg — who obviously has it out for me and is simply trying to create more work for my puny little mind — asks: sub, grinder, hero or hoagie?
1 THE FINE PRINT: If you travel to states or countries outside of those mentioned in this guide, you are on your own and and Life With A Little One and More will not be held responsible for what you get to drink. Nor will Life With A Little One and More be held responsible if you follow this guide while ordering. Furthermore and heretofore into perpetuity, Life With A Little One and More shall not be held accountable for any mishaps, substitutions and/or consumption of any drinks (in so much as drinks are defined as liquid) in the known world, universe or those universes to be discovered upon some date in the future. Life with A Little One And More reminds you to check the contract you signed when you agreed to follow this blog or subscribe to its feed. Yeah..that’s right…you signed a contract and I shall be collecting my yearly stipend from you via an Electronic Funds Transfer on the 15th of the month for as long as you follow or read this blog. Haha suckers! And you thought I was doing this out of the kindness of my heart.
2 Although I totally owe her for teaching me how to do these footnotes on my blog now. 3
3 Watch out Dave Eggers, I’m gunning for you! 4
4 For those of you who didn’t get the Dave Eggers reference, he wrote a book called A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius that used footnotes in a unique and heavy-handed way. 5
5 Can you footnote a footnote? 6
6 Is any one still reading this? If so, leave the word “flux” in your comment.
I know I'm late here, so let me turn on the flux capacitor and go back to the future…
Here in Germany it is "cola". There is hardly any Pepsi, this is a Coke world (and this is a good thing, if I were a Pepsi freak I would be doing some serious Jonesin') Also Coke doesn't sell Diet Coke here, it is Coke Lite.
The last time I was in the States they didn't have my favorite Coke product which is Coke Zero with a black label and marketed for men. Oh how I love that stuff!
So glad that you summed that all up!
It's actually amazing to see how many people didn't get the flux thing. Losers!
Any ways this was actually rather interesting. Thank you so much for taking the time to pole and compile all the data. We all are much wiser now. And I truely know I will sleep better tonight knowing who calls it pop and who calls it soda!
when I was probably 10 my cousin would be over and we would drink seltzer water to prove how strong we were, because it tasted so bad.
Soda in Tacoma, WA. Used to say Pop when I lived in Mpls. Hate that word.
FLUX FLUX FLUX.
Phooey! I missed your question. But in France, Coke is called "Coca" and "Coca Lite". I've never seen Pepsi here but it must exist. Forget Dr.Pepper and all those other things. We do have Virgin Coca though.
We have a card game we love called Flux. It is such a fun game. The rules and goals are always changing – on purpose – and it is a blast.
Frappe and grinder in New Hampshire. Jenners, you really outdid yourself with the analysis. Feel like writing for Consumer Reports, do you?
Oh, and I just found a new soda flavor called Yup. Maybe I'll send you a bottle. You could do another report on weird flavors.
Lol! Thanks for the run down!
awesome post, like really I loved it jenners! I was talking to a friend about this a couple months ago, he was trying to tell me that people down south just call it coke.
Im really glad you posted this, I love sh*t like that. and pibb sucks!
Blech, Mountain Dew is disgusting.
Flux.
Oh, and I call it soda. Or my "stay awake drink." Because seriously, my soda helps me stay awake. And, you know, function.
You busy girl you! While I grew up in Missouri we called in Pop but up here in Wisconsin it's soda, and it was very weird in Texas that everything was coke.
Although it could be in flux – I think you can safely add Arkansas to your list of "coke" people.
Ok I got your email and I came to see, you are going to be so sick of me but I swear Chicago is pop not soda, lol. Maybe southern Illinois is soda but I swear chicago is pop.
I thought about googling "flux" then decided, WTF was my favorite. You made me laugh out loud as usual. In my house growing up there was only one carbonated beverage and that was RC. My dad still makes a big deal out of it if you bring coke or pepsi in.
And the footnotes were a nice touch.
flux
I'm a compulsive reader to the end…
I've been waiting for the results of your poll. I wonder why Mountain Dew is still so popular?
Very interesting carbonated beverage research. Now, if you could please create some sort of map with color-coded states based on "soda" and "pop", I will be fully satisfied.
Oh yes… and I would like to close with "Flux."
Um… flux?
This had me giggling. All of it is so true!
girl, I could not sleep very well last night and have no intention of getting out my dictionary to look up flux.
I have no idea what flux means!
Great post…as usual!
Footnotes are great! Thanks for the "carbonated education" today
I would have assumed to say soda when I travel around the country. Now I know some soda etiquette when I go on my travels.
I'm totally learning about other state's culture! Love it, and love the shout out!
MidWest Mommy is right on. I was actually upset to see Illinois listed as a soda state lol, but than I remembered people do live south of I-80(I know, I need to get a life). Chicagoland is pop. We're also suckers, gym shoes, and front rooms. Fix it now….puhleeese lol.
WTF? That's what the flux for all you sickos out there!
We have an awesome band at our church called "In Flux". Does that count?
Jen Lancaster is also a fabulous author for footnotes. She has four books out and every one of them has absolutely necessary footnotes!
I'm in a state of flux as to how to use the word 'flux' in a sentence…
LOVE the 'results' of the great carbonated beverage debate – so interesting to see all the results! I didn't realize Seattleites called it 'Soda', I thought 'Pop' was state-wide…but I grew up in the suburbs outside of Seattle, so that is probably why!
Gotta love Jenni trying to make more work for you…
Here we call them Subs, but if you're in or near Philadelphia, you have to get a Philly Cheesesteak! 
My mind remains in flux over the variety. But you forgot to go into the naming intricacies of that gastronomic delicacy known as hot dog, frank, wiener, tube steak, coney, mystery sausage, …
I have to disagree where you put my state, lol. Maybe other than Chicago they call it soda but around these parts, pop, lol
Thanks for the education in the world of carbonated beverages
LOVE the fine print.. and the footnotes. You're always so clever. Now…about that sandwhich question. It's a sub here. Or just a sandwhich. We're pretty easy…
now when you ask us to mention flux in our comment, are you referring to the 1993 sci-fi book or the comic book villain?
have you read What is the What?
I really like the sound of calling a carbonated drink, a "fizzy" drink…
It's a "grind-ah" her in RI..(and milkshakes are called "cabinets"–coffee being the most popular flavor..)
And, Wow..I bow before you–footnotes!!
(I am the queen of excessive paranthese usage, but hmmm….footnotes look good on the page,)