Why Coca-Cola at McDonald's Tastes Better, According to the Chain

McDonald's soda has gained a reputation for its unique taste, from the zesty lemon-lime taste of Sprite to the sweet bubbles of Coca-Cola. When it comes to serving Coke specifically, McDonald's takes the soda quite seriously and, in the company's words, always aims to "ensure that we serve a high-quality fountain beverage."

The fast food giant explained that it follows the guidelines set by the Coca-Cola company to deliver the best product possible to customers. "The water and Coca-Cola syrup are pre-chilled before entering our fountain dispensers with the ratio of syrup set to allow for ice to melt," McDonald's said in a statement. "We also keep our fountain beverage system cold so your drink is always refreshing. In order to ensure our drinks are always meeting a gold standard, we filter all the water before it enters fountain dispensers."

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A report from The New York Times detailed that the chain gets the Coca-Cola beverage syrup delivered in stainless steel tanks, which keeps the syrup fresh in transit and at each restaurant. This also prevents external factors like temperature and air from ruining the precious syrup.

Even the straw customers get to drink their soda plays a role in how the Coke tastes, according to the chain. A McDonald's straw is "slightly wider than a typical straw," the company said, "so all that Coke taste can hit your taste buds."

The next time you find yourself at the McDonald's drive-thru, take a moment to savor the extra-special crisp of their Coke.