Sweet tea & Coca Cola...How far from the south is it served?

[cjk374]

After a little discussion in the Jimmy John's vs. Jersey Mike's thread, I thought it was time to give this discussion it's own space. 

When I was making regular visits to Columbia, MO to visit my mom when she lived there, going out to eat and getting what I wanted to drink became a challenge.  Here is an excerpt from my discussion with the waiter/waitress when I was seated:

SERVER: Hi, welcome to (Eating Joint X), my name is no-one special. May I get your drink order?

ME: Sweet tea, please.

SERVER: I'm sorry sir, we only make unsweet tea, and we have sweetener packs on the table.

ME:  Ok, I'll take a Coke instead.

SERVER:  We sell Pepsi products here.

ME:  Water please.   

As far as sweet tea is concerned, I cannot stand super-sweet tea.  If found, I will half-n-half it with unsweet tea (no lemon for me please).  The best way to make it is 2 family-size bags of Lipton Tea, steeped in 4 cups of boiling water.  Add 1 level or scant cup of sugar, then fill up a 1 gallon pitcher with water.

McDonalds tea borders on sweet/super-sweet depending on the individual store.  Red Diamond sweet tea is diabetes in a jug.    Capt. D's is real good.

What is your tea preference?

Coke I figure is just regional vs Pepsi.  Where does it change over from coke to Pepsi?

[Pete from Boston]

Unsweetened, except for whatever sugar is in a lemon slice.

[jakeroot]

Most places in the Seattle area don't serve sweet tea. The only places you'll find them are at eateries that specialize in southern food.

As far as Coke vs Pepsi, no place more often than the other. But I may not be paying much attention since I don't order either very often (I'm more of a DP guy).

[02 Park Ave]

I don't think Coke vs. Pepsi is geographical.  It's financial.  Whichever soda company offers the restaurant the better deal gets their product served.  This probably applies to vending machines also.

[Pete from Boston]

Oh, and as far as how far from the South Coke reaches? 

Japan?

Seriously, it's Coke.  It's worldwide.

[jeffandnicole]

Coke I figure is just regional vs Pepsi.  Where does it change over from coke to Pepsi?

Usually on the other side of the street.  Or parking lot.  Or store divider.  Or cold case.

[The Nature Boy]

I've gotten a Coke in Canada, it isn't regional at all.

[Pete from Boston]

Coke is officially sold in all but two countries in the world (North Korea and Cuba, surely soon to be just one).

[The Nature Boy]

Hell, Coke is apparently sold in a restaurant in Pyongyang so it may have even penetrated THAT zone.

[briantroutman]

Rest assured: there's nothing regional about it.

As much as some Southerners call any and all carbonated beverages "coke" , regardless of brand or flavor, and despite the company's global headquarters being in Atlanta, the vast majority of people worldwide do not associate Coca-Cola with the South or vice versa. Pepsi was founded in North Carolina, by the way.

Most chain restaurants have a company-wide association with either the Coca-Cola Company or PepsiCo, and the choice has nothing to do with regional preferences or tastes. With a few exceptions, nearly all Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC locations serve Pepsi products because PepsiCo owned those chains until they were spun off into the ironically named Yum! Brands. When I worked at a hotel during college, I checked in a PepsiCo employee who was visiting a small, regional fast food company that had signed a contract with Pepsi. She referred to them as a "Pepsi Pourer" –apparently they very actively campaign for new restaurant business.

As for "sweet tea" –called as by that name served in a sit down restaurant–yes, it is most definitely a Southern institution. But you'll also find ready-made sweetened and flavored teas sold in packages nationwide, and you'll often find some sweetened tea flavors in many soda fountains, but most non-Southerners would never refer to it as "sweet tea" .

[english si]

The best way to make it is 2 family-size bags of Lipton Tea, steeped in 4 cups of boiling water.  Add 1 level or scant cup of sugar, then fill up a 1 gallon pitcher with water.

Lipton - the British tea company whose tea you cannot buy in Britain (as it doesn't sell in actual tea drinking countries, which ought to tell you something) other than in 500ml bottles of ready-made flavoured ice tea.

Also, how crappy are family size bags that only make 2 cups worth of tea? Not only does it think a family only needs 2 cups worth, but you might as well use 2 x 1-cup bags (which is what we increasingly do here - I've not seen 2-cup bags much in recent years, though they were a thing).

Other than Tetley not being great tea (though better than Lipton!), you want some of these catering tea bags, if making tea by the gallon! A US gallon is about 6 UK pints, so plenty of room for dilution.

NB: while seemingly great, grabbing a handful of 1-cup tea bags works better as the tea isn't all in one place that doesn't move well through the water (though the bags are Tetley's best, being a more typical rectangle, rather than the brand's unique circle, and allowing the tea more room to move around).

Japan?

Ain't that far north! Barely makes beyond halfway up from the equator!

I was going to say it was entirely south of Boston, but Boston was about 3 degrees south of where I thought it was. Japan's northern point is about level with Portland, OR.

I've brought Coke in the one shop in a remote (well remote in our terms - I mean it had road access, so was rather well connected) village on Borneo. I'm not saying that as a 'north' thing (given that it was southern hemisphere), but I can't imagine that remote Arctic communities wouldn't sell it, so whatever is the most northern town.

Pepsi is slightly different, though also has a global reach via restaurants (and not just the western brands) - it's not reached the world's rural population, but cities will have it anywhere but North Korea and Cuba...

[froggie]

As other's mentioned, Coca-Cola is global.  Very global.  Moreso than Pepsi in my Navy experience (though Pepsi is quite international in its own right).

As for sweet tea, it should be noted that, even in northern New England, McDonalds offers sweet tea.

[SteveG1988]

Here's one for ya. Pepsi of Pennsauken NJ (does the philly/south jersey market) and Coke of Philly have control over what products they have. For a while we were without Pepsi Throwback, and if you like tab...a 6 pack is all you get and it costs nearly 4 bucks, the same price as a 12 pack.

[jeffandnicole]

If you ever feel like getting beat up and mugged, and you're not around the inner city late at night, just find a PepsiCo employee and say Coke instead of Pepsi, Sprite instead of Slice, etc. 

[The Nature Boy]

I used to room with a Coca Cola employee. I'm a Pepsi guy but I had to switch to Coke because he didn't want Pepsi around the apartment at all.

[Pete from Boston]

Japan?

Ain't that far north! Barely makes beyond halfway up from the equator!

I was going to say it was entirely south of Boston, but Boston was about 3 degrees south of where I thought it was. Japan's northern point is about level with Portland, OR.

Don't confuse the south with the South.  San Diego is further south than Atlanta but is not the South.  Nor is Havana.

The OP's capitalization aside, the gist of it is distance from the South.  This is not equal to "most north."  FWIW, the most distant major city from Atlanta is Perth, Western Australia.  Coke is available there.

[hbelkins]

Talking about soft drinks and regions, once upon a time it was proclaimed as gospel around here that Pike County, Ky. had the highest per-capita consumption rate of Pepsi products of anywhere in the country. I'm not sure if it was actually Pepsi that the people were drinking, or if it's Mountain Dew, which is very popular in this area. Since I prefer Diet Coke to Diet Pepsi, I always feel like a bit of a heretic anytime I'm in Pikeville and I buy a Diet Coke.

[Brandon]

I used to room with a Coca Cola employee. I'm a Pepsi guy but I had to switch to Coke because he didn't want Pepsi around the apartment at all.

He'd hate me then.  I'd have Vernor's and Faygo around. 

Yes folks, there are other things than Coca-Cola and Pepsi out there.

As for tea...Yuck.

[roadman]

Coke I figure is just regional vs Pepsi.  Where does it change over from coke to Pepsi?

Depends upon how agressive the regional salesman for either company is.  Even the restaurant in SNL's 'Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger' sketches changed from Pepsi to Coke at one point thanks to an aggressive Coke salesman (played by Walter Matthau).  And, of course, the last lines of that particular sketch were  "I'll have a cheeseburger and a Pepsi.  Sorry, no Pepsi. - Coke."

[Pete from Boston]

What would people guess is the percentage of Americans that have a strong preference for the taste of either Coke or Pepsi over the other? 20%? 25%?

[Brandon]

What would people guess is the percentage of Americans that have a strong preference for the taste of either Coke or Pepsi over the other? 20%? 25%?

Maybe far less.  What's the difference, Coke versus Pepsi?  They're very similar, IMHO.

[02 Park Ave]

I strongly prefer Coke to Pepsi.  However, I prefer that Mexican Coke to the American version.  Coke Life is also good.

[6a]

Mountain Dew is #1 by a long shot in the Columbus market, followed by Pepsi.

[US81]

Everytime I read the the topic I "hear" it in a deep South (female) voice: "Swee-tee or Co-cola?"

[NJRoadfan]

I've read that travelers around the world to "off the beaten track" locales have been advised to contact Coca-Cola to find out how they get their products delivered to said remote locations when they are creating travel plans. Mostly to get an idea of current local conditions.