soda machines Archives

How to Order a Soda Fountain Machine

June 6, 2024

concept of how to order a soda fountain (fountain poured drink on table)

Soda is a beloved drink by so many Americans. Nearly half of Americans drink at least one glass of soda per day. Regular soda drinkers drink more than 2 glasses every day. There is a soda for everyone as it comes in so many different flavors and variations. Adding a soda machine to your restaurant or business is a great investment. Let’s look at how to order a soda fountain machine.

How to Order a Soda Fountain Machine

A soda machine is a great way to attract more people to your restaurant. The return on investment is astronomical. Getting started adding soda to your menu takes some planning. It’s smooth and easy if you follow the steps below.

Determine Your Needs:

Assessing your non-negotiables is key as a soda machine is a substantial investment. Consider the amount of space you have first. This can help you narrow down your choices. Then, consider your needs in terms of usage. Purchasing a machine that can meet your capacity needs is critical.

Consider Your Budget:

Determine how much you can spend on a soda machine and the continuing maintenance and supply costs. The initial cost of the machine is a one-time expense. However, there are several ongoing costs, including maintenance, syrup, and CO2. It’s important to invest in a quality soda machine from a reputable beverage equipment supplier.

Research Suppliers:

Finding a supplier that has a good reputation in the field is key. Consider customer reviews and be sure to do your research. Professional-grade soda fountains can add a lot to your restaurant so it’s important to choose the right machine and supplier. Contact multiple suppliers for quotes so you can compare costs and benefits.

Installation Process:

Once you have chosen your supplier, focus on installation after your purchase. It’s helpful to get your soda fountain up and running as soon as possible. Avoid doing this on your own and have professionals install your soda fountain. This includes connecting your water supply, setting up the CO2, and installing syrup lines. Test out the machine before you start serving soda to avoid potential issues.

Maintaining Your Soda Fountain Machine

Once you have purchased and installed your soda fountain machine, schedule regular maintenance to ensure it lasts. Regular cleaning and maintenance include several steps. Schedule the following as soon as you get your soda fountain machine running.

Regular Cleaning:

Depending on how much you use your soda machine, it’s critical to clean it on a regular basis. Residue can build up in the syrup and water lines. This can impact the quality of your soda and the efficiency of your machine.

Restocks:

Closely monitor the CO2 and syrup levels. These need to be replaced regularly. Waiting to replace them can impact the quality of your soda and put undue pressure on your machine. Keep both in stock to avoid replacement issues.

Prompt Attention:

If you notice any issues, address them right away. Soda fountain machine issues can easily go from small to big. These can wear down your machine unnecessarily and cost you time and money. Not having soda available for customers can also impact your business.

Beverage Equipment Supplier

Investing in a soda machine can provide you with a substantial return on investment. While you have to invest in the cost of the machine initially, the sales from soda can easily add up. The soda fountain machine has very low operational costs. Because of this, even mid-priced sodas at a busy restaurant can offer high returns. Regular maintenance and cleaning can keep your soda fountain machine in good shape for years. The team at SC Beverage offers top-tier soda fountains. Contact their team today for more information!

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How Are Soda Fountain Drinks Different from Bottled Drinks

December 7, 2023

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Soda pop has long been a beloved beverage among millions across the globe. From the vast array of flavors to the delicious effervescence, soda has become a staple in so many cultures. Studies have even shown that more than half of Americans drink soda on a regular basis. Soda lovers often have a favorite type of soda, in addition to a favorite method that it’s served. From cans and bottles to soda fountains, everyone has their personal preference. You may wonder how soda fountain drinks are different from bottled drinks. Below, you will find more information on why you prefer soda fountain drinks.

How Are Soda Fountain Drinks Different from Bottled Drinks

Millions of dollars go into consumer research, especially when it comes to the food and beverage industry. Recent research has demonstrated the difference between soda fountains and bottled drinks, and why so many people prefer soda fountains. The key to soda fountain drinks is the temperature and pressure of the environment.

Unlike bottled drinks, fountain soda maintains consistent and optimal temperatures throughout the dispensing process. This ensures a drink that is chillingly refreshing. In addition to the temperature, the pressure is precisely regulated so the carbonation levels maintain their consistency. Because of the temperature and pressure specifications, soda fountain drinks are often preferred over bottled drinks.

Preferred Benefits of Soda Fountain Beverages

While soda is refreshing and flavorful in all of its forms, soda fountain drinks are often the top choice among soda lovers. Consider the following benefits of soda fountain drinks.

Customization:

Soda fountains are highly versatile as each flavor can be customized. This includes the amount of syrup, carbonation, and flavor combinations. Unlike soda fountains, bottled drinks cannot be as easily customized to meet your unique taste preferences. Modern technology has created interactive soda machines that offer a variety of choices.

Freshness:

One of the top benefits of soda fountain drinks is their freshness. Unlike bottled beverages, soda fountains offer a fresher and more vibrant taste. Bottle beverages do not have the same fizz and flavor as they are stored for much longer. Soda fountain drinks are created in the machine the moment you press the button to dispense it.

Reliability:

Fountain drinks are often more reliable in terms of their flavor. The precise measurements of carbonation and syrup create a consistent flavor that people can count on. This is why so many fast food chains stick to fountain drinks, as consumers can count on a fresh and flavorful taste every time they come in.

Eco-Friendly:

If you are conscious of your carbon footprint, opting for fountain drinks is more eco-friendly. The ability to use the same cup for refills can reduce the amount of single-use plastics. If restaurants offer glass cups, this further reduces the amount of waste produced by your purchase.

Top Beverage Equipment Supplier

The food and beverage industry is a more than 7 billion dollar industry. Not only is it thriving now, but it will continue to grow. This makes the industry a major goldmine for entrepreneurs and other business-minded people. If you are considering new avenues for revenue, consider purchasing soda fountain equipment. This is especially true if you already own a restaurant or franchise. Unlike bottled drinks, soda fountain machines are a fan favorite and offer a number of benefits to entrepreneurs. They are cost-effective, satisfy customers, are eco-friendly, and have major marketing potential.

If you are interested in soda fountain equipment, contact the team at SC Beverage. They are the top beverage equipment supplier as they offer installation and additional services to meet your needs. Contact the team at SC Beverage today for more information!

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3 Reasons to Replace Your Soda Fountains

May 25, 2023

Every restaurant has a soda fountain as one of its staples. Providing soft drinks, water, and other types of beverages all at once through a tap can empower your customers to choose whatever drink they want and free up your time to focus on more important business operations. Below we cover 3 reasons to replace your soda fountains.

3 Reasons to Replace Your Soda Fountains

But like all machines, soda fountains do not last forever without proper maintenance and repair. Eventually, broken machines may cost more to repair than to replace, so you may be in the market for top-of-the-line soda fountain equipment. Whatever the case may be, it is important to know the warning signs that your machines are getting damaged. Below, we have listed 3 reasons to replace your soda fountains ASAP.

You Can Earn More With Newer Machines

As your soda fountains age, you might start to worry about how well they are keeping up with the constant stream of demand from your customers. Not only can new machines look better and attract more customers, but they can also stop you from constantly having to maintain and repair your soda fountains. Ultimately, newer machines may come with a higher price tag, but they end up producing a much higher profit than your old, run-down soda machines.

Not to mention, you can get away with charging more for your drinks when you are operating newer machines. The cost of operations may increase, leading you to increase prices on relatively cheap items like soda syrup. You can even increase the syrup count to make the soda taste better. Over time, this will leave you with a lot more income in your pocket.

New Machines Just Look Good

It’s no secret that new machines are sleek, advanced, and adaptable to so many more options than traditional soda fountains. If you are looking for a clean, smooth, and streamlined look for your restaurant, these machines can add a lot of ambiance to the space. Modern fountains are easy to use, presenting customers with a slew of soft drink options and even the ability to further customize their drinks. Incorporating a digital system can help you keep up with the modern feel of your space, and customers will be more likely to return to you time and time again.

Stop Spending Money On Repairs

Machines need maintenance, and the older a machine gets, the more likely it is that the repair costs will go through the roof. Why run the risk of constant malfunction when you can instead opt for a brand-new fountain that adds more options, better flavor, and a bigger profit to your business?

Depending on the type of issues your soda machines are running into, it may be more expensive to repair it than to just outright replace it with a newer fountain model. Dispenser problems can take a serious cut out of your profits. And broken hinges and O-rings will make the machine malfunction entirely. Avoid running into simple machine maintenance issues that cost you a lot more money and problems than is worth it. How? You can look into some of the market’s newest soda fountain options and add a sleek new upgrade to your space.

Find the Perfect Beverage System for Your Restaurant

Running a food service business is anything but simple, and dealing with broken machines only complicates matters further. If you are looking for ways to cut down on maintenance costs and smooth out the day-to-day operations of your restaurant company, reach out to our SC beverage systems professionals and find deals and discounts on the best machines in the industry. By replacing your soda fountains you are securing years of future success without any heavy repair needs.

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Do Soda Fountains Use Tap Water?

November 29, 2022

Soft drinks come in a variety of tasty flavors and brands, and people can usually find them available through soda fountains at restaurants and bars. While these machines can typically be relied upon to provide specific types of soda per the customer’s request, everyone has likely had the unfortunate experience where their drink comes out of the machine and it’s flat. Or, only bubbly soda water comes out of the machine but there is no syrup to provide the flavor. This leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth – both literally and figuratively. This also begs the question…Do soda fountains use tap water?

Do Soda Fountains Use Tap Water?

Soda fountains require quite a bit of carbonated water in order to function properly, and that water can be difficult and expensive to source. Today, experts from your trusted beverage company in Southern California will talk about whether or not soda fountains typically use tap water to carbonate their drinks, and why.

Fountains Function with Fresh Cold Water

In order to understand why the vast majority of soda fountains use tap water instead of bottled or filtered water for their machines, it is first necessary to learn how these machines work. In order to produce the nice, cold, bubbly soda that we so often enjoy with our meals, the fountain needs access to a steady stream of cold water. The machine comes with an interior pump that can be hooked up to many different sources of water.

For many bar and restaurant owners, the easiest and cheapest way to get the machines to work is to hook up the internal pump to the city’s tap water system. That way, the machine can work like a sink, providing instant cold water at the user’s request. The process of carbonating the water also requires that it be cold, which is why tap water is usually the best solution all around.

Is Tap Water Safe to Drink?

Depending on where you live, it is likely the case that your tap water is filtered using a standardized filtration method in your city. You can contact your local government officials to learn more about the safety of your nearby tap water if you are unsure of its source. For the most part, the tap water that enters soda machines is safe enough for folks to consume, especially since the carbonization process filters the water even further.

Most people don’t realize just how much tap water they end up consuming every day. Carbonated water and soda beverages are consumed by millions of gallons in the U.S. alone on a daily basis, and soda fountains are almost universally hooked up to tap water systems. It can be difficult to predict how many people are going to want to use the soda fountain every day, and how many times per day they will return. That is why the best way to keep these machines operational is to keep them hooked up to a tap water system for a steady stream of water at all times.

Keep Your Customers Happy with On-Demand Soda

Your soda fountain is one of the most important staples of your restaurant or bar business. It’s important that it is in continuous operation throughout your store’s opening hours, providing customers with the cool and bubbly drinks they know and love. Learn more about operating soda machinery and invest in top-notch Los Angeles soda fountain equipment when you get in touch with SC Beverage today for an equipment consultation. We can help you with custom or wholesale beverage equipment needs so you can start your food services business off on the right foot. Contact us today to get started!

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History of the Soda Fountain

May 19, 2022

We walk by soda fountains all the time without a second thought, but they are actually quite incredible. In the United States, soda fountains actually have a long history of cultural significance that deserves a little more attention. So let’s look at the history of the soda fountain.

History of the Soda Fountain: The Original Soda Fountain

The first American soda fountains weren’t all that different from the ones we think of today. The original was patented in 1819 by a physician named Samuel Fahnestock. This relatively simple machine was composed of a specialized barrel with a pump and a spigot.

While the original soda fountain wasn’t serving up soft drinks, it was more than capable of producing carbonated water. This nifty device hid most of its inner workings behind the counter in much the same way that modern Los Angeles soda fountain equipment does today.

The Evolution of the Soda Fountain

Over the course of the 19th century, the early soda fountain got a little more high-tech. The machine invented by John Matthews in 1832 made soda fountains much more cost-effective. As a result, their use spread to individual shops. Drug stores and street vendors could officially afford to sell sparkling water and make a profit.

The nineteenth century also witnessed the aesthetic elevation of the soda fountain. These machines were nothing like the ones we see today. They were grand devices modeled after classical themes. The fanciest soda fountain resembled a carved column with endless intricate details. They were crafted from marble, brass, and mirror to create unforgettable centerpieces.

Soda Fountains and 20th Century Youth Culture

As soda fountains continued to evolve, they worked their way into everything from barbershops to restaurants. In many ways they became an iconic part of American culture and social behaviors. This trend is most apparent in 1950s American youth culture.

Prior to the mid-20th century, youth culture didn’t really exist. The shift from childhood to adulthood proved more clearly defined with little in the middle. That all changed as the concept of the “teenager” began to develop.

The Development of Youth Culture

You could certainly argue that this concept began to emerge around the time of the first world war. Still, the idea of being a young adult and having a unique cultural identity based on your age was not well established until the mid-1940s.

In the 1950s, the concept of the teenager and youth culture became the dominant feature of American culture. To this day, if you think of the 1950s, you probably picture young people gathered around a soda fountain in a brightly colored diner.

The Cultural Significance of Soda Fountains

Between the 1940s and the 1970s soda fountains created central locations where young people could meet, share cultural experiences, and express new ideas. These soda fountains may not have been the salons or the coffee houses of the Enlightenment, but they were a vital part of the consolidation of American youth culture.

More than seventy years later, we still identify cultural periods based on the youth culture of the day. While soda fountains may not be a central theme of today’s youth culture, there is no denying that soda fountains have played an important role in American culture and our shared memory of the past.

Carrying that Legacy Forward

At SC Beverage Company, we are proud to continue the tradition of bringing cost-effective soda fountains into locations where people can enjoy a refreshing drink together. Something as small as a shared conversation between friends or family is a testament to the enduring ability of a soda fountain to bring us all together.

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