Either put the cocaine back in or leave it alone.

Why would anyone drink that shit it’s corrosive.

Different taste and sweetener. Zero is much sweeter than diet. Zero has slightly less caffeine than diet (Zero has same as regular, diet has more.)

Basically they made a better Diet Coke but having learned the lesson from New Coke, they kept the old crap and sold both.

Anyone else notice a difference in the taste of fountain products? Recently went through a drive-through, and the regular Coke seemed bitter enough I was sure I had been given Diet by mistake. Happened again at other restaurants, and my local convenience store fountain also tasted bad.

Is it just my taste buds? Kinda bummed that my favorite drink isn't worth buying anymore.

I think fountain tends to be more carbonated. That could be part of it.

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Don't hold back

I’m guessing the analogs are equivalent: Coke/Pepsi Zero are supposed to be sugar-free versions of the original formula, while Diet Coke/Pepsi are (and has been confirmed) intended to be similar, but different products entirely. IOW, you’re not supposed to drink a Diet Coke with the expectation of tasting Coke, but with Coke Zero, that’s the whole point—the experience of drinking regular Coca Cola, without the sugar bomb. Diet Coke, on the other hand, has established itself as a separate soft drink in their portfolio, essentially apart from Coke, and they’re not tinkering with it because Diet Coke is the end point product. It doesn’t aspire to be a diet version of regular Coke.

Also, Diet Coke sucks. Unless it’s swimming in lemon juice, in which case it’s fucking magical.

Side note: is Zero a separate trademarked product? It’s odd that both Coke and Pepsi have a Zero (TM) version with the same font and everything. IIRC.

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The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W

The Zero part is not trademarked. Coke tried to claim it, and got sued by RC Cola. Coke essentially won, and then eventually just stopped trying to claim Zero as part of its trademark, but left open the possibility that it could be claimed in the future.

https://www.lexology.com/...1f-aef4-f9f4d9cbbdf0

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

Perhaps, but every recent fast-food meal with a Coke just tastes wrong.


The Blueberry Diet Coke version was the best.

My wife is a die hard Diet Coke girl. Will not buy Coke Zero. She swears the McDonald’s fountain Diet Coke is by far better than any other restaurant’s formulation, and it seems there’s reason for it. According to the internets, Coke sends their products to McD’s in steel tanks, whereas other restaurants get their Coke product syrup in plastic bags. Straw size and temperature also play a role in the differences, apparently. Fascinating.

https://www.rd.com/article/mcdonalds-coke/

To the OP: I just tried the new formulation. It smells more like original Coca Cola, and has less chemical sweetness. Overall I like it, but not a major change. I wouldn’t say it’s more refreshing or enjoyable to drink. Neither makes you want to chug it like an ice cold bottle of original Coke.

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The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W