Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.

Soda, Pop, or Coke? Generic Names for Soft Drinks by County

by Justin Glow (RSS feed) on May 11th 2007 at 6:30PM

I grew up in southern Texas, so when I was younger and thirsty for, say, a Dr. Pepper, I'd order a Coke. Luckily the waitress would know that when someone orders a "Coke" in southern Texas, it didn't necessarily mean they wanted Coca-Cola Classic. "What kind?" they'd ask, and only then you were free to say "Dr. Pepper, please."

This didn't work out too well when I traveled, of course. If I ordered a Coke in a "pop" county, I'd get a Coca-Cola Classic, even if it was a Dr. Pepper that I really wanted.

These days I'm a soda kind of guy, even though I live in a pop county according to the Generic Names for Soft Drinks by County chart provided by PopVsSoda.com.

What do you say: soda, pop, or coke?

Filed under: United States

Search Travel Deals

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Willy May 11th 2007 10:40PM

I'm from a "80-100% Coke" area. My wife is from a"80-100% Pop" area.

We still get along.

Karen May 12th 2007 6:21AM

Yep; from the Panhandle of TX - "What kind of coke?" - now, living in Germany - so it's "pop" - but I do miss asking for a coke and getting a Dr. Pepper!

Karen May 12th 2007 10:20AM

I wonder what some "others" are?

Chip May 12th 2007 11:26AM

As for others - My relatives in southern Maine always refer to it as "tonic". Odd that the map shows Maine as a "soda" state. Maybe it's just my family.

bill May 12th 2007 5:59PM

I grew up in ft worth. I do remember people who said "coke" for all soft drinks but it's hard to believe it was the overwhelming majority that the map shows. we used to make fun of people who did that. our family always said "soda water." now I just say 'soft drink." but i still mean "dr pepper."

Coke Addict May 12th 2007 6:05PM

Too funny! Ordering a Coke when you really want a Dr. Pepper. Why couldn't you--why can't you--just ask, "Dr. Pepper, please"? I don't know...

I'm a Coke addict, pure and simple. The Classic kind. No substitution. These days, actually for the longest time now that I think about it, when I ask for a Coke I'd get ... a Pepsi. For an entirely different reason: it seems more places carry Pepsi as the cola of choice than Coke, probably due to marketing muscle (Coca-Cola, are you listening/reading?), especially on airlines (on those long trips where they still hand out free softdrinks) and in a lot of fast-food joints, even internationally. I'd always get stymied and puzzled when this happens. Not enough fizzles for my taste.

Tom McMahon May 12th 2007 8:29PM

A few years ago I took these figures to create The 2002 Soft Drink Electoral Map: http://www.tommcmahon.net/2003/10/the_2002_soft_d.html

jon May 13th 2007 5:59PM

I lived in Michigan for a while (I'm British) and it always threw me when I asked for a coke, which in the UK is a generic word for a cola - any cola.

They'd come back with a concerned 'I'm sorry we only have Pepsi'

'Er, yeah, that then'

That map also says that Allegan county (where I was) says 'Pop'. Not when I was there they didn't - they said 'soda'

In the UK btw, it's 'fizzy pop'