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DPChallenge Forums >> Rant >> A Fast Food Conspiracy Theory
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06/03/2004 06:35:02 PM · #1
Ever notice the Coca-cola at McDonald's tastes different then the Coca-cola anywhere else? Seeing how they admitted adding beef flavoring to their fry's I guess it's possible to add a little extra to the mix. Anyhow, I know a couple of other people that have come to the same realization on their own so I'm thinking it's not just me. Anyone here ever work for McDonald's? Ever seen men in black suits fiddling with the beverage dispensers?
06/03/2004 06:38:49 PM · #2
The reason the Coca-cola at McDonalds taste different to anywhere else is because the McDonalds food has sent your tastebuds into hiding!

Oh, and yes, I worked at McDonalds once - I used to get my drinks half Coke and half Sprite - much nicer!

:):):)
06/03/2004 06:47:36 PM · #3
Pepsi Generation?



Remember too that Coca-Cola® remains the preferred solvent for cleaning greasy driveways.

On a practical note, try mixing any soda 50/50 with plain club soda/seltzer -- all the fizz and half the sugar.

If you want to gross yourself out, make your own soda according to the typical amounts used:

1/4 teaspoon flavor concentrate (e.g. vanilla for Cream Soda)
12 ounces sparkling water
8 teaspoons white sugar
06/04/2004 01:45:25 AM · #4
Originally posted by GeneralE:

Remember too that Coca-Cola® remains the preferred solvent for cleaning greasy driveways.

//www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp

As for coke and taste, restaurants with a fountain system can control the mix, so sometimes it seems more syrupy and other times more watery. I'm not sure if the carbonation process can be finely controlled in fountain systems, but mechanical failures (loss of pressure etc.) will also affect the flavour and consistency of the final product.

Some long-time drinkers of coke believe that it tastes different from place to place. If it's true, it's likely to do with similar factors, but possibly also the type and quality of the water used in the canning/bottling.

And, as everyone knows, Coke in the glass bottle tastes like heaven.
06/04/2004 01:46:48 AM · #5
Beef flavored Coke? Tasty!
06/04/2004 02:07:51 AM · #6
My wife, a recently former McDonald's asst. manager informed me, when she came home upset, that when she had told the owner that a lot of people were complaining about the taste of the drinks, that orders had come down from above to cut the syrup to about half the recommended rating. When she went to bat for the customers she was told they would get use to it.

I for one went from a daily drink customer, to an 'only if I can not avoid it' customer.

David
06/04/2004 02:13:12 AM · #7
Originally posted by dwoolridge:

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Remember too that Coca-Cola® remains the preferred solvent for cleaning greasy driveways.

//www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp

Thanks for the link. I did mean it according to most lists of household hints, not as a truly definitive statement.

Although, as you can see from the photo I posted, the ingredients in colas are only "harmless" in normally-prepared concentrations; an accident involving the precursor concentrates appears to be at least a moderate hazard. And repeated ingestion of 8 teaspoons of sucrose/glucose dissolved 12 ounces of (admittedly mild) carbonic acid is a known risk factor for Type II diabetes, obesity, and dental caries.

Message edited by author 2004-06-04 02:13:32.
06/04/2004 02:18:11 AM · #8
Originally posted by Britannica:

My wife, a recently former McDonald's asst. manager informed me, when she came home upset, that when she had told the owner that a lot of people were complaining about the taste of the drinks, that orders had come down from above to cut the syrup to about half the recommended rating. When she went to bat for the customers she was told they would get use to it.

I for one went from a daily drink customer, to an 'only if I can not avoid it' customer.

David

They are doing a good thing in a bad way and (probably) for bad reasons. My guess is that such an instruction would probably violate the McDonalds franchise agreement, the contract with CocaCola, or both.

But, about 1/2-strength soda is "better" for you and will actually be much more "refreshing" once you get used to it.
06/04/2004 02:28:58 AM · #9
The pH of coke is about 2.5. the pH of lemons are around 2.2. So lemons are more acidic than coke. Of course when you ingest them, you introduce the to your stomach which has a pH of around 1.4, almost twice as acidic as either one of them.

I agree completely about the sugar though. That's why P-Ness prefers diet coke. :D
06/04/2004 02:32:24 AM · #10
Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by Britannica:

My wife, a recently former McDonald's asst. manager informed me, when she came home upset, that when she had told the owner that a lot of people were complaining about the taste of the drinks, that orders had come down from above to cut the syrup to about half the recommended rating. When she went to bat for the customers she was told they would get use to it.

I for one went from a daily drink customer, to an 'only if I can not avoid it' customer.

David

They are doing a good thing in a bad way and (probably) for bad reasons. My guess is that such an instruction would probably violate the McDonalds franchise agreement, the contract with CocaCola, or both.

But, about 1/2-strength soda is "better" for you and will actually be much more "refreshing" once you get used to it.

I know it is better for me. I usually drink soda from a can, but will get a fountain drink when I want one but want it more refreshing; the added water from the ice makes a difference. But this change really makes my Dr. Pepper (different franchise, but licensed under Coke here) taste really bad.

I did not pursue it very far, but at the time she told me (a few months ago I believe) I remember thinking that it would violate agreements as well. I will ask her how far up the chain of command the order came from when she wakes up.

Of course, since this is about conspiracy theory, this could be McDonald's way of trying to get out of their permanent world-wide Coke agreement, and give themselves more flexibility in the marketplace. ;)

David
06/04/2004 07:21:47 AM · #11
I heard recently, I believe on NPR, that Burger King recently settled a class action lawsuit for adjusting the syrup-to-carbonated water ratio in their soft drinks.

No word on whether this will put an end to the practice.

-Terry
06/04/2004 09:59:00 AM · #12
Ya know, I usually add some rendered beef fat to my Coke anyway. Usually about a tablespoon or so per 16oz, some like more, some less.

Sometimes when I'm feeling adventurous, I'll use bacon grease. The flavor is a bit stronger, so I usually use a bit less than with the beef fat.


06/04/2004 01:15:08 PM · #13
I work at Mickey D's and I can tell you that our maintenance guy used to adjust the pop/carbonated water manually himself. But once we recieved our ABS (Automated Beverage System) for the drive thru, we were not allowed to touch it or otherwise Coke could not be held responsible for any errors due to user screw up. :) I've had tons of people complain, but there isn't anything I can do so I just tell them that that's how it is at McDonalds. When I worked at Sonic before that, I know my boss got a letter from Coke saying that they recommended that he up the carbonated water ratio and leave the amount of syrup the same. He refused (thank goodness, Sonic is a good place to get soda!) and we still had tons of drink customers.
I don't drink Coke, so I haven't noticed a difference in the way it tastes, I drink Pepsi, but I've noticed that it's even hard for me to find a decent place that sells good fountain Pepsi - I've given up and either drink it from a can or 20oz bottle. I think my favorite thing of all is bringing in my can of Pepsi to McDonalds and drinking it in front of the Coke guy. :) *tee hee* :)
For anyone that wants to know, the french fries do have a beef flavoring on them and it's listed plainly on the ingredients on the side of the box.
I think I rambled some, but I hope some of this was helpful.
Steph
06/04/2004 01:42:53 PM · #14
Originally posted by britannica:

I will ask her how far up the chain of command the order came from when she wakes up.

Originally posted by princess:

I work at Mickey D's and I can tell you that our maintenance guy used to adjust the pop/carbonated water manually himself. But once we recieved our ABS (Automated Beverage System) for the drive thru, we were not allowed to touch it or otherwise Coke could not be held responsible for any errors due to user screw up. :) I've had tons of people complain, but there isn't anything I can do so I just tell them that that's how it is at McDonalds. When I worked at Sonic before that, I know my boss got a letter from Coke saying that they recommended that he up the carbonated water ratio and leave the amount of syrup the same. He refused (thank goodness, Sonic is a good place to get soda!) and we still had tons of drink customers.
I don't drink Coke, so I haven't noticed a difference in the way it tastes, I drink Pepsi, but I've noticed that it's even hard for me to find a decent place that sells good fountain Pepsi - I've given up and either drink it from a can or 20oz bottle. I think my favorite thing of all is bringing in my can of Pepsi to McDonalds and drinking it in front of the Coke guy. :) *tee hee* :)
For anyone that wants to know, the french fries do have a beef flavoring on them and it's listed plainly on the ingredients on the side of the box.
I think I rambled some, but I hope some of this was helpful.
Steph

There you go.

David
06/04/2004 01:56:22 PM · #15
Originally posted by princess:

For anyone that wants to know, the french fries do have a beef flavoring on them and it's listed plainly on the ingredients on the side of the box.


I thought they stopped over a year ago when they were sued by those ridiculous vegetarians and animal-rights people. That was the second or third time they changed what they fried the fries in and every time the flavor changed for the worse. McDonald's used to have the best fries but now they are dry over salted pieces of cardboard. About the only thing right they've done in the last decade were the 25 cent hamburger days.
06/04/2004 02:19:50 PM · #16
Originally posted by TechnoShroom:

I thought they stopped over a year ago when they were sued by those ridiculous vegetarians and animal-rights people. That was the second or third time they changed what they fried the fries in and every time the flavor changed for the worse. McDonald's used to have the best fries but now they are dry over salted pieces of cardboard. About the only thing right they've done in the last decade were the 25 cent hamburger days.


Your right, I used to crave the fry's, now they're the worst in the industry. The old apple pies were better also. And I swear the quarter pounder shrunk a couple inches. All-in-all McDonald's has done to fast food what rap has done to music, they're bland and processed.
06/04/2004 04:00:56 PM · #17
Originally posted by thelsel:

Your right, I used to crave the fry's, now they're the worst in the industry. The old apple pies were better also. And I swear the quarter pounder shrunk a couple inches. All-in-all McDonald's has done to fast food what rap has done to music, they're bland and processed.


It's because McDonald's caves faster than the French to the Germans (no offense). Psssshhh... hot coffee burned me, fries at a burger joint aren't vegetarian or have meat flavoring, ooo I can't regulate my fat intake so you better offer salads or we'll sue you, and ewwww the large fries are so large. What boggles the mind is that nobody is forced to eat at McDonald's. When was the last time a McDonald's employee pulled you off the street and made you buy a cheeseburger? Who doesn't know that eating lots of high calorie/fatty foods makes you fat? Who doesn't know they can either go somewhere else or bring a lunch from home?

I agree with you, I think the QP did shrink, at first I thought it was just my hands got bigger over the years but after hearing so many people talk about it I'm disinclined to believe it is my imagination. Especially when you compare it to QP burgers at other burger joints.

A couple years back I was feeling nostalgic for the old fried apple pies. Those little semi-tubes of pure golden fried heaven. I searched the internet for info on how to make a copy at home. Turns out many people have recipes online that are pretty close. Then I found this site "McDonald's Apple Pies" (it's currently down, sorry) that has a huge list of all the McDonald's that still have the fried pies! Turns out the key is to find the smaller McDonald's that didn't have the room to install the ovens required for the new pies. They are mostly in airports and walmarts and places like that and of course in other countries where you don't get all these lawsuit threats. There are at least a dozen sprinkled around the Bay Area up here. You might want to check out a WalMart down in your area to see if they have them.

I've been to quite a few of the locations and they do have the good ol' fried pies. However, they don't taste exactly the same as they used to and I think this is because they changed the oil. I haven't found a McDonald's employee old enough to remember how the old pies were made so it's just a suspicion of mine.
06/04/2004 04:13:52 PM · #18
Originally posted by princess:

I work at Mickey D's and I can tell you that our maintenance guy used to adjust the pop/carbonated water manually himself. But once we recieved our ABS (Automated Beverage System) for the drive thru, we were not allowed to touch it or otherwise Coke could not be held responsible for any errors due to user screw up. :)


See how everything got screwed up when they switched from pre to post mix. With premix you only had to worry about how clean you kept the lines and the dispenser and how much ice you used to water down the customer's drink. With post you have to worry about people screwing with it to meet their individual tastes.
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