Mexican Coke and McDonald’s Sprite: Is There Really A Difference?

One in every four beverages consumed in America is soda. Needless to say, Americans, on average, drink a lot of soda. Although the consumption of soda is widely known as unhealthy, causing health issues such as cavities, obesity, and/or diabetes, there’s one unprecedented skill that many claim to have -- being able to tell the difference between sodas that come from different locations.

In other words, many avid soda drinkers claim that sodas, depending on where they come, have a different tastes to them. This, to others, seems absolutely bogus. Afterall, what makes a brand is its universal look, taste, etc. It shouldn’t taste different. Yet, there is some credibility behind it.

Let’s take two of the most widely known examples of this phenomenon: Mexican Coca-Cola and McDonald’s Sprite. Mexican Coke is more well known when it comes to tasting “different” than the American version of the household-name drink. People describe the taste of Mexican Coke as crisper, fizzier, and with a hint of root beer --- basically a “better” version than one would usually find at the supermarket.

Is there any reason why the coke would taste different? Well, yes and no. Many believe the primary difference in flavor between Mexican Coca-Cola and the American Coca-Cola formula is that Mexican Coke is sweetened using cane sugar as opposed to high-fructose corn syrup. However, a scientific analysis of Mexican Coke found no sucrose (standard sugar), but instead found fructose and glucose levels similar to other soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. This means that there’s a good chance they don’t actually contain cane sugar. Others claim it’s the bottle that affects how Coca-Cola tastes. Yet, this is very unlikely; when do bottles or any other liquid container affect how something tastes?

Next up is McDonald’s Sprite. What started off as a joke sometime in 2017, McDonald’s Sprite is described by the internet as extra crispy and in some cases, stronger than hard liquor. Just like with the Mexican Coke, is there any evidence that this lemon-lime soda could actually be different in flavor? According to McDonalds themselves, their secret lies in their concentration, filters, temperature, and the straw.

Mcdonald’s uses a higher ratio of syrup concentrate to carbonated water and also turns up the amount of sugar used, making your body crave it more. Because better water means better Sprite, McDonald’s filters its water twice as much as its competitors with high-end filtration systems that undergo routine maintenance programs to keep everything in perfect shape. Like all other drinks sold at McDonald’s, both the syrup and water are kept chilled at all times so that every cup is filled with peak carbonation and peak flavor. This predetermined temperature allows ice to melt at a perfect rate for the syrup to water ratio.

But no matter what these companies say, what’s the truth? Is there a noticable taste in each soda, one that can prove whether this is all just a myth or fact? I decided to take matters into my own hands.

For my first test, I got 2 cups, labeled A and B respectfully, and tested 10 students on whether they could correctly guess which was the Mexican Coca Cola. Some were very confident in their Mexican-Coke-tasting ability, claiming they drink the “better” version (Mexican Coke) on a daily basis, while others hadn’t had either drink in years. What were the results? Out of the 10 people tested, only 4 were able to correctly guess which was the Mexican Coke. However, everyone I tested claimed there were large differences between the two drinks, such as the amount of carbonation, the flavor, and its overall sweetness. Some could even tell which was which based off scent alone!

As for the Sprite, I conducted the same tests; I got 2 cups, labeled A and B respectfully, and tested 10 students on whether they could correctly guess which was the Mcdonald’s Sprite. Most people were able to distinguish the two lemon-lime drinks, with 9 out of 10 guessing correctly. Many noted the amount of carbonation in each along with their levels of sweetness.

Curious of the others results, I decided to try the two drinks myself to see if I had a hard time distinguishing them. I have to say, within both drinks, there were definitely differences in flavor and carbonation. Yet, I do not think I would be able to tell the difference in an actual test since I drink soda very few times a year.

In conclusion, although some may have struggled to identify each soda, both Mexican Coca Cola and Mcdonald's Sprite definitely taste different than their supermarket counterparts. Whether the flavor difference is caused by temperature factors or the ingredients used, we won’t know for sure. But one thing’s for sure; these two drinks are soda-licious!