Soda vs. pop

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Where do you live and which one do you say?

I live in Cincinnati and say "soda" exclusively. Spending a few years out west and having friends from mostly California, Colorado and New York rid me of saying "pop" altogether. In Cincy, I'd say it's about 65/35 "pop" over "soda." I've not once heard someone say "coke" in a generic way referring to all soft drinks. That seems weird to me.

Amazingly, someone took the time to study, county by county, what everyone in the U.S. says:

http://www.popvssoda.com/countystats/total-county.html

Incidentally, my favorite soda is Diet Pepsi, though strangely enough at restaurants I'll order Diet Coke because that's just what most have. At the store, I'll always buy Diet Pepsi.

[UKFlounder]

I live in Northern Kentucky and say "Coke." If the restaurant serves Pepsi and say "Sorry we only have Pepsi products" I'll say Pepsi and just think "same difference" though I know they are not.

I know many people who do the same thing

If not "coke" I hear "soft drink" but I rarely hear "soda" or, especially "pop."

And on that survey, 21 of the 53 in Campbell County also said Coke, the most of any of the choices. I fit right in

[UKFlounder]

double post

[Captain13]

I live in Louisville, and I say Coke or soft drink. And yes "what kind of Coke do you want?" is a perfectly reasonable question.

[westofyou]

Grew up in Michigan where it was always "pop" that changed when I moved west, then it was soda

Texas is a big coke place

[dougdirt]

I live in Cincinnati and the only people I have ever known to say Soda were relatives from Minnesota. I say pop, but only when it is something like 'we need pop from the store' because everyone knows what I drink.

[RichRed]

I live in Va. Beach and say "soda," which seems to be the prevalent choice in these parts (VB, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Suffolk, Newport News, Williamsburg). I am a little surprised to see that "coke" runs a fairly close second.

[redsmetz]

I always say Pop and still equate "soda" with ice cream sodas. My wife grew up in mid-Missouri and they say soda, but she now says pop too. When I'm at a restaurant, I always just ask for a diet cola since I know they have to correct it to the brand.

When we were at U.S. Bank Arena last Saturday, I was surprised that they only had Diet Rite. I hadn't had one of those in years after they changed the formula and it was dreadful. The guy was good enough to give me a sample and they seemed to have learned from their error of their ways.

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Originally Posted by redsmetz

I always say Pop and still equate "soda" with ice cream sodas. My wife grew up in mid-Missouri and they say soda, but she now says pop too. When I'm at a restaurant, I always just ask for a diet cola since I know they have to correct it to the brand.

When we were at U.S. Bank Arena last Saturday, I was surprised that they only had Diet Rite. I hadn't had one of those in years after they changed the formula and it was dreadful. The guy was good enough to give me a sample and they seemed to have learned from their error of their ways.

That's bad, but seems to fit the lackluster profile of US Bank Arena.

[IslandRed]

Originally Posted by Captain13

I live in Louisville, and I say Coke or soft drink. And yes "what kind of Coke do you want?" is a perfectly reasonable question.

Same here, at least when I was growing up. Once I got a little older and my soft drink preference changed to something that wasn't regular Coke, I learned to be specific. And now that we have a family of four, each of whom has different preferences, we just call it a drink, with the meaning determined by who's asking for it. (Since the two kids are pretty young still, "drink" is understood to be a non-alcoholic term -- adult beverages are asked for by name.)

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by redsmetz

I always say Pop and still equate "soda" with ice cream sodas. My wife grew up in mid-Missouri and they say soda, but she now says pop too. When I'm at a restaurant, I always just ask for a diet cola since I know they have to correct it to the brand.

When we were at U.S. Bank Arena last Saturday, I was surprised that they only had Diet Rite. I hadn't had one of those in years after they changed the formula and it was dreadful. The guy was good enough to give me a sample and they seemed to have learned from their error of their ways.

Most distributors offer a Coke or Pepsi line, the third line in PDX is the AMC of soft drink packages, Diet Rite, RC Cola, A&W, an orange drink that escapes me and Ginger Ale

[15fan]

In my neck of the woods, the Pepsi delivery trucks travel under armed guard. The drivers wear kevlar vests and make deliveries in the dark of night.

I once saw a guy try to order a Pepsi in a restaurant. He got decked by an 85 year old lady who just came from her Sunday church service. She stood over him like a triumphant Muhammad Ali in his prime, spit in the guy's face, then returned to her plate of biscuits, gravy and sweet tea.

And I must say that it's all for good reason. That Pepsi stuff is vile. More vile than Jim Edmonds, Tony LaRussa and Bud Selig combined.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'd rather drink warm asparagus urine than a Pepsi.

Proper etiquette demands that if you are going to offer someone a soft drink, you offer them a Coke. Period.

If you have a problem with that, then "Delta's ready when you are."

[Raisor]

I say "coke" or "pop"

[marcshoe]

I pretty muchsay pop exclusively. I'vebeen hearing v soda a surprising amount the last couple of years.

[sonny]

I was in a rock band in the early 2000s called Soda vs Pop. We got signed to a small label and even put on a movie soundtrack for a film called "Orphans and Angels". It's a terrible movie, but the band thing was a blast.