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The Controversy Continues…

A few weeks ago I brought up the Pepsi vs Coke debate, and how the brands take over college campuses. Whenever you mention soft drinks, you almost always end up in the Pop vs Soda vs Coke debate too. This site gives you a chance to have your voice heard over which term is most popular! (Be sure to check out the conclusion, which I strongly agree with.) [via Gretchen]

I grew up in Illinois. My parents are from North Dakota and Minnesota. I called it “pop” when I was a kid. Then I moved to Texas when I was 15. They call it “Coke” down here. It doesn’t matter which soft drink you’re really drinking, it’s a “Coke”. Here is how it would go:

Friend: I’m going to go get a Coke. Would you like one?
Me: No. I’m not thirsty, thanks.
Friend leaves. Returns with Sprite, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, whatever.
Me: I thought you were going to get a Coke?
Friend: Yeah, I did.
Me: But … that’s a (insert drink name here).
Friend: Yeah. And???
And I would be left with a puzzled look on my face.

Also amusing was when you would tell a waitress at a restaurant that you want a Coke. “Ok, what kind?” Uh, Coke? Yeahhhh…

I’ve adapted. I call it Coke all the time now too. Personally, I still think calling it “pop” makes more sense. However, you can get your ass kicked for that around here, so I’ll call it Coke. I know better then to ask for that sort of trouble! So, what about you? Coke? Pop? Soda? Which do you prefer to use?

By Christine

Christine is an Avenger of Sexiness. Her Superpower is helping Hot Mamas grow their Confidence by rediscovering their Beauty. She lives in the Heights in Houston, Texas, works as a boudoir photographer, and writes about running a Business of Awesome. In her spare time, she loves to knit, especially when she travels. She & her husband Mike have a food blog at Spoon & Knife.

25 replies on “The Controversy Continues…”

I understand that it’s sort of a regional thing, and people don’t choose which terms are used in different parts of the country… but “soda” and “pop” are both short for “soda pop” right? “Pop” seems a little too cute for me, but that’s because I grew up in “soda” country—but at least it makes sense.

But Coke is a brand. Coke is short for Coca-Cola. It isn’t short for Coke-Pop or Soda-Coke. It is a subset of either sodas or pops. It might be okay to refer to all colas generically as Coke, but it doesn’t make sense to refer to a Mountain Dew or a gingerale or an Orange Crush as a Coke. It just makes no sense.

Soda. The calling everything Coke would confuse the heck out of me, thank goodness I’ve never heard it used, and pop was the term my southern cousins would use, which never failed to make me giggle. Do you call lollipops “suckers,” too?

We call it soda around here, but I recently visited Ohio where they call it pop. My cousins and I call our grandfather “Pop Pop” so it was rather funny. Your post also reminds me of my brother visiting Texas and having everyone calling bags (as in grocery store plastic bags) sacks. He told me that became rather annoying. “Do you want a sack with that hun?” being what he got all the time. hehe

Pepsi is actually Pepsi Cola, so “I’d like a cola” is the non-coke term I accept. I still shorten it to coke though because it’s a coke. I mean, do you want a facial tissue or do you want a kleenex? Personally I use Puffs or a hankie, but if I’m blowing my nose with it, even if it’s toilet paper I call it a kleenex.

If you won’t use “cola” or “coke” then please use soda. Just don’t even write pop unless you mean your dad or the noise a gun makes cause I can just HEAR that nasaly northern accent saying it of my Canadian father and it DRIVES ME INSANE.

Side note, in the 90s complaining about how badly you need some coke while in a northern city, not the best decision you could make. What do they call it in Europe anyway? I never got odd looks when asking what kind of coke they had.

Well considering all I drink is Diet Pepsi, I like to call it “soda”, or “dp” for short.

My parents call it “pop”, just as they call their meals “breakfast, dinner and supper” when it should be “breakfast, lunch and dinner”. Very messed up 🙂

I’m with Zaldor – I grew up calling it ‘pop’ and it took nearly a decade away from the Midwest to change that – now I’m an oddball because I say ‘soda’ as often as ‘pop.’ I was an oddball for other reason before that, though. 😉

I’m originally from Massachusetts, so I’ve grown up saying ‘soda’. I moved out to Indiana last summer to attend school out here, and everyone says ‘pop’. It will always be soda to me!

I grew up in New England (the land of “soda”) and moved to Ohio (the land of “pop”)…I normally just order by brand. The few times I tried to order a soda I got that *look* and I refuse to say pop if I don’t have to.

I live in Illinois, but near St. Louis…we call it soda…When I go to Chicago and someone asks me if I want a Pop I have to think a minute to figure out that they are asking me…usually someone will translate and say, “What would you like to drink?” Then I can answer!

Now, Catherine, according to my mother (who knows about such things), the “big” meal of the day is called “dinner”. If lunch is the big meal (like it probably would be if you lived and worked on a farm), then you say “dinner” instead of “lunch”, and call the lighter evening meal “supper”. On the other hand, if the evening meal is the big meal of the day, then you call that “dinner”, and call the noon meal “lunch”. Funny rule, but there you are.

I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company
I grew up in Oklahoma. If someone asks, “Do you want a Coke?,” it’s not uncommon to reply, “Yes. I’d like a Dr. Pepper…,” right back. When I was in grade school and junior high, we lived in an Air Force base town. New transfer students would always g…

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