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As a young teenager I have fond memories of wandering down to the corner drug store after school. A fountain with a horseshoe shaped counter and three booths sat at the back of the store. There we indulged in soda, ice cream and numerous combinations of flavored colas. Cherry, chocolate, and vanilla were the favorite's

We watched as the counter lady squirted flavoring into a glass, added ice and then filled the glass with coke. The cherry was delightfully fruity, the vanilla smooth and sweet, the chocolate looked kind of scummy and tasted chocolaty. We stood in line to find a seat and waited impatiently for our drinks plus we got to act cool around our friends or gaze at the hot boys.

Perhaps it's the memories of these simpler times or maybe it's the fact that it's in a can but the new flavored cola's just don't compare. To me the cherry coke is just too sweet and too cherry. I don't know what can be done to improve the taste if anything. I do know that I like the flavored diet cola's better but I usually choose the lime. It seems to mask the diet taste better.

Some people say that fountain drinks taste better but I still don't like the cherry cola even at the dispensing machines of today. The soda tastes weak and diluted. As a young lady I worked at a drive in restaurant and I remember my boss had a little unit which calibrated the syrup ratio to the soda water. He checked it when anyone complained that the soda didn't taste good. I seriously doubt that anyone uses these tools anymore or even know how. Because of this I rarely drink fountain drinks, to me they seem weak and tasteless.

Of course the difference between cans and glass is highly debated and I think that the can may impart a different taste. Of course it could be just that we have convinced ourselves that the can tastes different. I think it's funny that in beer we have the choice of glass or aluminum but most soda is sold in aluminum

I know the big soft drink companies have to try new products to entice the public to buy their product. I'm sure that the flavored drinks were test marketed and must have passed muster or they wouldn't be selling them but for me there is no comparison. Most young people don't have the memories of cherry cokes from a fountain while checking out the new kids or just gabbing with your friends.

Learn more about this author, Linda Argue.
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