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Why Soda from Fountains Tastes Different

February 4, 2022

If you’ve taken that first sip of soda from the fountain and thought “this just tastes better,” you’re not alone. There are actually a number of reasons that can contribute to fountain drinks dancing on our taste buds with a little more zest than a canned drink. These are the most common reasons that explain why soda from a fountain machine tastes different.

Why Soda from Fountains Tastes Different

Fountain Soda Is Freshly Mixed

When you push your cup up against that dispenser, you aren’t getting pre-mixed soda. At that moment, carbonated water and the original soda syrup are both pulsating through the machine. The two streams combine at the end of their journey to create the soda you know and love. It really doesn’t get any fresher than that. As a result of this immediate process, you may notice that your soda is more flavorful and bubbly.

The Carbonation Is Just as Fresh

Carbonation isn’t for everyone. People tend to love it or hate it. If you fall in that former category, then there’s a good chance that you love the occasional soda from a fountain. Sure, a canned soda may scratch that itch, but it isn’t a match for freshly mixed soda. That carbonation has literally just been injected into your drink, so the bubbles are more active and tantalizing.

Ice Makes the Drink More Refreshing

The obsession with ice is largely an American thing, but we may actually have that one right. If you’re a restauranteur, then SC Beverage machines with fountain drinks and an ice maker are absolute essentials.

The ice cools the drink and just slightly dilutes it. Diluting your favorite soda may sound like a terrible idea, but it can actually help to enhance the sweetness of your soda as long as you don’t leave it out too long. As an added bonus on the owner’s side, using even a small amount of ice reduces the amount of syrup you use serving the average customer.

Your Straw Is Messing with You

Ok, so it’s not just the fountain that’s giving your taste buds that little roller coaster ride. There’s a good chance that your straw is an active accomplice. It’s essentially a bullet train that delivers flavor directly to your tongue. This effect is especially profound in slightly wider straws because they deliver a larger volume of soda. Some chain drive-thrus and restaurants actually choose wider straws on purpose to enhance your experience.

Of course, that means that you can at least replicate part of that experience at home. Keeping a few wide reusable straws around your kitchen means that you always have an option for enhancing your soda-drinking experience. As an added bonus, wide straws are much easier to clean and dry out.

You Can Create the Perfect Combos

The final benefit of using Los Angeles soda fountain equipment is the pure creativity offered up by a fountain soda machine. If you or a customer wants that perfect balance of sharp and sweet, there’s nothing to say you can’t mix sodas to your heart’s content. In fact, some of the best soda creations are arguably mixes.

Choosing Fountain Equipment

For the customer, going with a fountain drink is an easy choice. It offers better flavor and more options. However, it can be a little scary making that initial investment if you’re opening a new restaurant. The truth is that it’s practically always an investment worth making. Fountain drinks have higher profit margins and improve the customer experience.

They do require some maintenance, but it’s easy to learn the basics. With the help of your local southern California beverage system company, you’ll be up and running with well-maintained machines in no time.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Soda Fountains

April 8, 2021

Soda fountain equipment can be found at pretty much any location that serves food, yet despite their ubiquity, most people don’t know all that much about them. The truth is that soda fountains are pretty complex machines. Luckily, the parts you need to clean and regularly maintain are all highly accessible and easy to reassemble. Below we answer some of the most frequently asked questions about soda fountains.

Frequently Asked Questions about Soda Fountains

To make it even easier, we’ve put together a brief guide featuring the most commonly asked questions about soda fountain equipment. With any luck, we’ll answer a majority of your questions. If we do miss something, you can always contact the manufacturer for further information.

How Much Space Do I Need for a Soda Fountain?

You will want to confirm the dimensions with the manufacturer because there is some variation. However, the majority of eight valve soda fountains are about 32 inches high x 26 inches wide x 28 inches deep.

The backroom equipment is another story. Each five-gallon syrup box is approximately 11”x15”x8” and your standard carbonator is about 12”x12”x12”. Most restaurants organize this equipment and the spare syrup boxes using heavy-duty shelving units. Zip ties can always be used to secure the hoses in between cleaning for better organization.

Do You Need a Water Line?

As complicated as it may sound, a water line is essential. The syrups have to be diluted with water to create the bubbling drinks that we enjoy. In fact, the soda you’re getting out of your fountain is about five parts water and 1 part syrup. That’s why you’re able to get such a great deal on syrups and keep your profit margins high.

When you’re choosing your water line, make sure it’s at least 3/8” in interior diameter. That will allow the carbonator to get enough water through to do its job efficiently. If a water line is too small, then you’re going to have a lot of noise, and your sodas will come out rather flat. No one wants that.

Do You Need a Cooling System for Your Soda Fountain Equipment?

You absolutely need to keep your fountain system cold. The temperature helps the drink retain carbonation as it meets with the open air, increases customer satisfaction, and generally improves the process as a whole. Now there are a couple of different cooling system options, so you’ll want to discuss local conditions and frequency of use with your manufacturer to determine the best fit for you.

How Long Will a CO2 Tank Last?

If the system is well-maintained and has no leaks, then a 20 lb tank will last about the same amount of time as it takes to go through three 5 gallon boxes of syrup. With light use, that could be as much as six months, but most restaurants will go through it much more frequently.

Fortunately, it’s easy enough to get the tank refilled. Industrial gas suppliers, locations that offer welding services, and some restaurant supply stores offer refilling services. That being said, you should always keep a spare tank in a safe place just in case you forget to refill your tank in time.

How Often Does the Equipment Have to Be Cleaned?

The valves, outside surfaces, and ice trap should be cleaned daily. If you have an attached ice dispenser, then that should be emptied and cleaned once a week. You should always allow these parts to dry overnight to prevent mold and mildew. Last but not least, the lines themselves should be cleaned at least once a month.

We hope this was helpful. If you have any additional questions, contact a manufacturer of soda dispensers in Los Angeles to ensure that your soda fountain equipment is always in working order.

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How to Maintain a Soda Machine

November 6, 2020

The soda machine is an important component of any food service provider. They offer a quick, inexpensive way to expand the products available to your customers without requiring almost any additional work. However, many of these machines aren’t properly maintained. This makes them a health hazard and increases the risk that your equipment may fail long before you expected it to. Learning how to maintain a soda machine is quite straightforward.

Even the highest quality soda fountain equipment requires regular maintenance to run properly. This maintenance enables the machine to deliver the same quality product to every customer you serve. Put simply, maintaining your equipment protects your initial investment and ensures that customer satisfaction stays predictable. To help you do what is best for your business, here are easy steps to cleaning and maintaining your soda fountain equipment Los Angeles.

Cleaning your Machine

Cleaning the soda fountain should be a normal part of closing procedures. It ensures that the nozzles get cleaned daily, allowing your morning staff to start off fresh. It’s quick and easy. Here’s the daily cleaning routine.

Remove the nozzles from each dispenser.
Clean them thoroughly using warm, soapy water.
Let the nozzles soak in warm, soapy water.
While they are soaking, remove the spill tray and clean it out with warm, soapy water.
Rinse the spill tray and allow it air dry.
Remove the soaking nozzles, rinse them, and allow to air dry.

Don’t Forget to Let Your Soda Machine Dry

To ensure that all of this is done, many restaurants leave the nozzles to dry overnight. The morning staff then place the clean nozzles back onto the machine.

The weekly cleaning routine is a little more thorough, so you may want to save it for the middle of the week when business is slow. You should not try going through this routine while your restaurant is open. Here’s what is entailed.

Wash the diffusers in warm water.
Empty the ice chute.
Take a clean sponge soaked in warm water and wipe out the ice chute.

By doing this process after closing on a quiet weekday, you give your staff the time to do it right. The ice chute will dry and re-fill overnight.

How to Maintain a Soda Machine

Regularly cleaning the nozzles, diffusers, and ice chute is an important part of maintenance because your machine is less likely to experience clogging. However, that doesn’t mean we get to ignore the inner-workings of the machine. The syrup lines are the most crucial part that you can maintain yourself by simply flushing them about once a month.

Some restaurants choose to flush a syrup line every time the syrup has to be replaced. This ensures that the lines are being flushed frequently, but not every business has the excess staff to make this possible. Experts suggest flushing all of the lines at least once a month, so you can work it into the schedule regularly.

This is how you flush a syrup line.

Remove the syrup bags/boxes from the lines.
Place the intake end of the line and place it in a bucket of cleaning solution.
Secure the line in the cleaning solution if it is likely to fall out.
Dispense the cleaning solution through the syrup line until it runs clear.
Attach the intake end of the line to a bucket of clean, warm water.
Flush for several seconds to rinse out the cleaning solution.
Re-attach your syrups.
Dispense liquid through the nozzles until the soda is flowing normally.
Do a taste test to make sure the syrup is being effectively delivered through your clean line.

Your nozzles, spill tray, ice chute, and syrup lines are all relatively easy to maintain. If you find yourself struggling with more severe mechanical problems, then you should speak to the original manufacturer and have the problem diagnosed by a mechanic familiar with soda machines.

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