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Topic: Coca-Cola FREESTYLE...the future of bad soda

Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 09-06-2013 01:17 AM

Wah, wah, wah. It's just one excuse after another. The only thing valid about that article was the point that the problem is the PARENTS of kids these days. Most parents these days are terrible at being parents. While I'm not saying that HFCS, caffeine and such are good for kids (or people in general), this new generation of young adults needs to learn to stop digging for some excuse to validate their own poor parenting skills.

One of these days someone is going to do a useful study on this and come to the conclusion that if the parenting is bad, the kids will not grow up to be successful and useful members of society.

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Marcel Birgelen
Film God

Posts: 3357
From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
Registered: Feb 2012

posted 09-06-2013 03:20 AM

quote: Brad Miller
One of these days someone is going to do a useful study on this and come to the conclusion that if the parenting is bad, the kids will not grow up to be successful and useful members of society.

This seems to be a universal problem, at least in "western" societies around the world. So, now we only need to invent something to fix parenting [Wink]

.

But it's not just the parenting, it's society at a whole. Let's be a bit realistic here, many people in those "western societies" are, on average, way to fat. And I don't mean "does not fit some kind of ridiculously Photoshopped beauty-standard", but just so fat, that it becomes unhealthy.

Part of the problem is the simple fact that many people (and I might be partly guilty on that one too), feed almost exclusively on soda. That's one hell of a business for those deluxe sugar water selling companies. And also let's not deny: they won't shy back to make those drinks at least a slight amount addictive.

Personally, I'm totally fed up with all those (mostly bullshit) studies. Those primarily serve to sell more newspapers and magazines by scaring the public: Playing violent video games turns your dog into a silent killer; Eating too much candy after midnight causes your brain to spontaneously combust; etc., etc...

But it should be perfectly clear, that drinking this stuff day out and night, might somehow negatively affect your health. You don't need any sophisticated study for this, just a bit of common sense should be sufficient. My mama at least told me, that I cannot have more than one glass of coke a day, maybe two if it was a special day...

But that's probably the core problem, common sense has become a luxury. Companies know this all to well and are exploiting it to the bone. Governments all over the world react with extra mandatory warning labels and rules that further erode your freedom. Stuff like fat and sugar taxes are now seriously up for debate...

So, we do not need something to fix parenting, but something to fix common sense. I guess that's called education... hmmm...

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Sean McKinnon
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1712
From: Peabody Massachusetts
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 09-06-2013 10:58 AM

When I go to McDonalds I ask them to use the "Sweet Tea" styrofoam cups for my Coca-Cola McDonalds Coca-cola in a Styrofoam cup is the best I have found. The styrofoam cup keeps the ice from completely melting for hours.

Sonic also uses styrofoam cups and I will often stop there as it is closer and I don't have to go through the ordeal of asking for a special cup but the McDonalds coke tastes better.

The funny thing is some McDonalds use automated drink machines at the drive-thru and asking them for a different type of cup apparently wreaks havoc on their system.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-06-2013 12:36 PM

It's an inventory issue. Most places count their cups, so if you ask for a Drink A beverage in a Drink B cup, but the two are different prices, they'll have to punch up the "Drink A" in their system and then their inventory count will be off by 1 in both cup types.

I have often wondered how anal the big chains are about little things like this.

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Edward Havens
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 614
From: Los Angeles, CA
Registered: Mar 2008

posted 09-06-2013 01:13 PM

Depends on the chain and whose in charge of those things at that moment.

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James Westbrook
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1133
From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa
Registered: Mar 2006

posted 09-06-2013 02:23 PM

Quite a few fast food places seem to be run by teenagers, with no obvious adult supervision. I can easily see inventory problems there.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 09-06-2013 02:52 PM

quote: Sean McKinnon
The funny thing is some McDonalds use automated drink machines at the drive-thru and asking them for a different type of cup apparently wreaks havoc on their system.

Oh don't get me started on those things. The stupid machines toss out about 4 cubes of ice and then pour a poorly brix'd beverage in the cup that literally is WARM when served seconds later. To add insult to injury, the machines always seem to spill a little over the edge and the stupid people at McDonald's drive-through don't bother to wipe the cup down before handing it to you. I used to hit up McDonald's just to get a drink (they're $1 now for any size too), but now I walk in for it.

quote: Mike Blakesley
It's an inventory issue. Most places count their cups, so if you ask for a Drink A beverage in a Drink B cup, but the two are different prices, they'll have to punch up the "Drink A" in their system and then their inventory count will be off by 1 in both cup types.

I don't think that is accurate in the case of McDonald's. At least down here in Texas where it's nice and toasty in the summer, they were giving EVERYONE the styrofoam tea cups without even asking. Further north when I was working in Indiana last month, they were outright asking which cup the customer wanted. Of course everyone was choosing the styrofoam. Surely their inventory will take note of this and switch at some point.

What I really hate is places that if you get a small or medium drink, you get it in a wax cup (which is fine). But if you order the large, you get it in a plastic cup, which as I've ranted before is unacceptable and they never get an order for a large from me because of that.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 09-06-2013 10:18 PM

quote: Some magazine I've never heard of called "The Week"
SODA IS MAKING OUR KIDS VIOLENT

Wow, their title states AS FACT that soda absolutely is without question causing kids to be violent. With journalistic integrity like that... wait, there is no integrity there. Their article is probably just as much hyperbole as their title. I don't care about anything that says "A new study finds" or "Scientists say". Such articles are usually pretty stupid and designed to provoke people's fears. All of these "studies" are 100% circumstantial evidence based on a small group of people. And with that, we get articles with titles that proclaim it as ABSOLUTE FACT like this one here. The Week magazine should be called The Weak because that's who it's written by and for.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-06-2013 11:04 PM

I think in the actual magazine it had ", study says" at the end of the headline... or maybe a question mark, I'm not sure.

The Week Is actually a pretty good mag… It condenses articles from lots of publications into quick summaries. I like it because it doesn't stick to one political agenda the way Time does... It covers all viewpoints.

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Sam Graham
AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues.

Posts: 1431
From: Waukee, IA
Registered: Dec 2004

posted 09-07-2013 02:21 AM

You know what? With all the options, it never even occurred to me to try basic Coke from a Freestyle machine. I'm usually having something like a cherry Fanta.

What I don't like about these machines is when you choose a flavor, it kicks out about a quarter cup, then suddenly that flavor's out and it just stops. It doesn't go to a weak syrup mix like a regular fountain, it just cuts you off cold.

We had a family buffet restaurant that had two of these for awhile. They went back to the standard fountains eventually.

Also...Dublin Black Cherry. My new favorite soda. Go find it now.

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Justin Hamaker
Film God

Posts: 2253
From: Lakeport, CA USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 09-07-2013 04:15 AM

My only experience with a Freestyle machine has been on the CinemaCon/ShowWest trade show floor. In that situation the drinks were cold and tasted close enough to what I wanted that I didn't pay any further attention. I have never seen one of these machines in use in a real world situation, but it seems like they are a bottleneck waiting to happen as customers try to make up their mind and experiment.

One comment about ice in fountain drinks. We train all of our employees to fill the cups at least 1/2 with ice (the Coke branded cups we use actually have an ice line we point out to the employees). However, the employees quickly seem to fall into the notion that more ice means less soda for the customer and therefore they go light to keep the customers from getting anger. I even have a hell of a time teaching them to fill the cup all the way up with ice when pouring an iced tea. It's not that they aren't getting the message, it's that they think they are cheating the customer.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 09-07-2013 05:53 PM

quote: Brad Miller
What I really hate is places that if you get a small or medium drink, you get it in a wax cup (which is fine). But if you order the large, you get it in a plastic cup

I forgot to comment about this. Why do they do this? Is a plastic cup cheaper than a wax cup? If not, then is it to make the buyer of a large drink feel like a fancy millionaire? I was pretty upset the first time I got a plastic cup with my large McDonald's drink.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-07-2013 07:42 PM

Less prone to leaks maybe?

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 09-07-2013 08:54 PM

We never had issues back when I managed for UA with the 44oz wax cups with them leaking. Well, at least we didn't with non-Kevin Costner epic movies. [Razz]

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Jarod Reddig
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 513
From: Hays, Ks
Registered: Jun 2011

posted 09-10-2013 01:47 PM

My local Wendys uses Coke Freestyle now even in the drive thru. Last night my Sprite tasted like sour lime and it had a brownish hue to it.

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