Is Coke different at McDonald’s?

Coca-Cola, also known as Coke, is a carbonated soft drink sold by The Coca-Cola Company that is famous all around the world. It has been sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines since 1886 and even sells more than 110 billion servings of its beverages annually in the United States alone.

Coke tastes different in McDonald’s because they have a special approach towards handling, storing, and delivering cola such as always storing the cola at ultra-low temperature to maintain freshness and designing a uniquely-sized straw to improve the delivery of coke to our taste buds.

Wonder if it’s different from the others? Continue reading the following sections to find out more.

Coke has a traditional delicious sweet, refreshing taste that matches any food you eat especially at McDonald’s. This is because they use a different approach in their storage and preparation methods to enhance it to its full capacity for their consumers.

Coke or Coca-cola is the product of the Coca-Cola company where a variety of it is sold in the market, like McDonald’s nowadays.

If you usually drink Coke, you’ll notice that it taste different when you buy it from McDonald’s.

The difference in taste is made possible because the cola is always kept at a low temperature and is freshly prepared whenever ordered. It is not pre-mixed and stored for future use. That’s why there’s a refreshing taste in it in every sip.

Since McDonald’s is in this kind of coke preparation, several key factors should be met to achieve it.

Here are the top 10 reasons why Coke at McDonald’s is different:

1. McDonald’s uses Steel Metal Storage Container Rather Than using Aluminum Containers

Storage is the most critical element in ensuring quality and taste.

Its syrup is well kept in a metal container at a cold temperature to protect it from changes in temperature, air, light, humidity, and the likes.

This is different from the Coke in can we usually see in vending machines and supermarkets.

Cans are made of aluminum and not steel, making them distinct from one another.

There are many differences between aluminum and steel.

For one, Aluminum is cheaper than Steel. Furthermore, Steel’s chemical properties are less interactive with food making it ideal to maintain freshness.

Since McDonald’s invested in steel containers to keep their cola fresh, we can easily distinguish its freshness without taste buds.

2. McDonald’s Water Filtration System is Top Notch

McDonald’s water filtration removes unwanted substances and minerals that might affect the taste of Coke once it mixes with their coke syrup.

They use standardized advanced water filtration technologies to all their branches to ensure its quality and freshness anywhere.

Water quality varies in different locations all around the globe, so ensuring their filtration system is a crucial step to take.

One of the key features that made McDonald’s special is their attention to detail when it comes to familiarity. When we visit a McDonald’s we know we are in McDonald’s because they try to make their design the same for all branches.

To help us know we are in McDonald’s they try to make everything look the same from the color, smell, and of course, the taste of their food and water.

Wherever the branch is, they make sure that their filtration system is the same so their products will taste the same wherever branch you visit.

You might ask why would the water in the branch affect the taste of the cola, it is because the water used in making ice uses the same filtration for all branches which helps standardize the taste of their cola.

3. McDonald’s Storage Temperature for Cola is Well Maintained

McDonald’s filtration and dispensing machines, storage containers, and beverage fountains are always kept between 33 to 38°F (0.5 to 3.33°C) to keep their Coke fresher, make its carbonation last longer, and preserve the quality of its ingredients for a long time.

Coke is well enjoyed if it’s cold.

It gives you a refreshing feeling when you drink it and maintains its taste and its fizz lasts a lot longer.

Drinking a hot coke is kind of weird, right?

4. McDonald’s Doesn’t Pre-mix Syrup to Preserve Freshness

Coke syrup is always chilled before being mixed with their well-filtered water to ensure its quality.

McDonald’s doesn’t pre-mix the syrup and cola like others do because they wanted to ensure that every sip of their customers is always freshly prepared.

The Coca-Cola Company has sold the coke syrup to McDonald’s ever since the 1950s.

The close business partnership between Coca-Cola and McDonald’s eventually led them to expand and be popular worldwide.

No wonder why their Coke matches their meals perfectly.

5. McDonald’s Maintain a Standard Straw Size to Improve Taste

Straw may never seem to play a significant role in its taste, but it does!

McDonald’s uses a wider type of straw so that consumers will have a great taste of it in just one sip alone.

The larger volume of Coke will pass through the wider straw that will spread evenly to your taste buds so you can taste it a lot better.

6. McDonald’s Ice is Well Made and Standardized

Ice doesn’t only keep it cold but it also plays a role in balancing the amount of Coke syrup and well-filtered water in your drink, making the taste “just right” even it is water-downed after several minutes in your cup.

Have you ever tried drinking iced Coke that you prepared at home? It tastes bland, right?

The formulation of Coke sold outside McDonald’s is not the same as the ones they have.

7. McDonald’s Maintain the Carbonation of their Beverages

McDonald’s Coke will never be a coke if it doesn’t have any fizz feeling in it.

Coke’s carbonation is always maintained by McDonald’s at an optimum level to make it last longer and ensure its crisp, refreshing taste and texture in every sip.

Temperature and its container play a significant role in making this one last longer.

8. McDonald’s use Plastic Cups to Maintain Freshness

To make its carbonation last longer, the temperature and exposure to air should be maintained at a low level.

That’s why plastic cups are preferred to be used before at McDonald’s because it is not porous compared to other beverage containers.

But nowadays, since paper cups are used, you’ll notice that their fizz doesn’t last longer compared to when they used plastic cups.

9. McDonald’s use Insulated Tubings to Maintain the Correct Temperature

When mixing its ingredients, the temperature should not vary during the process because it will also change the quality of the product along the way.

That’s why insulated tubings are used to keep the coke ingredients at a stable temperature during their mixture.

10. McDonald’s is Very Strict in Syrup, Water, and Ice Ratio

The right amount of coke syrup, water, and ice makes the coke in McDonald’s taste different. Everything is calculated correctly to ensure that the taste won’t change even when it’s diluted even after the ice melts.

That’s why you should never remove ice at McDonald’s Coke because it will affect its ratio and taste.

Curious if this is true? Why not try it yourself when you buy one and share your experience in the comment section below.

FINAL WORDS

So, there you have it.

Coke is not different from McDonald’s in terms of specific ingredients. However, it tastes different compared to other stores because they prepare it differently.

Steel metal storage containers, water filtration, temperature, syrup, straw, ice, carbonation, plastic cups, insulated tubings, and ratio are the key factors why Coke at McDonald’s tastes different compared to other places.

They have invested in maintaining the quality and taste of Coke so that customers would enjoy it better with their meals more.

Does this article make you thirsty to drink Coke? Why not buy one now at McDonald’s. Enjoy!

References:

https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/faq/36201-why-does-coca-cola-taste-so-good-at-mcdonalds.html

https://www.ranker.com/list/why-does-coke-taste-different-at-mcdonalds/eric-vega