Life Why do restaurants not carry Dr. Pepper? - Page 5

**Rain Man** · 10-14-2011, 12:37 AM

Seriously, why?

I go into restaurants all the time and ask, "May I have a Dr. Pepper or Mr. Pibb?" and I get told, "We only have Coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite", or "Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and Sierra Mist". Sometimes there's a Mountain Dew in there, but it's rare to get a Dr. Pepper or Mr. Pibb.

Why is this? What's so hard about having that fourth type of soda? Is it cheap to offer three types and really, really expensive to have a fourth? Does the existing equipment only have infrastructure for three types? Do health departments put you in a high-risk category if you offer four types? Why do fast food places offer four types or even more when sit-down restaurants can't seem to get past the magic number of three?

And why do they always have a soda, diet soda, and white soda? Do the soda companies offer packages that specifically exclude Dr. Pepper and Mr. Pibb? Why? Do they also offer packages of, say, Coke, Diet Coke, and Mr. Pibb, but no Sprite? Or maybe Diet Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, and Sierra Mist, but no Pepsi?

It's not a big deal to have a fourth soda, restaurants, and it damages my dining experience to not get Dr. Pepper or Mr. Pibb. Get on it.

**Rain Man** · 10-14-2011, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

It was mostly a 'majority' Dr. Pepper thing. If you were looking at 1 or 2 (especially if they were kids), you were probably okay. But once the adults start drinking it, it went downhill with each additional Pepper.

If you had 3 Dr. Peppers and a 2 waters, you were in trouble. If you had 3 Dr. Peppers, 2 waters, a bowl of lemon wedges and extra sugar packets (yeah, this happens), you were getting stiffed and probably reported to corporate to make sure they got their dinner free.

I hate people.

I like your 'south' theory, but does it hold? The south is Coke country; they wolf that stuff down. I wouldn't have thought of the south as being big into the Dr. Pepper. Maybe the 'upper' south, but I wouldn't have pegged the deep south.

I may be thinking "western south". Texas is the stronghold of Dr. Pepper, and I kind of assumed that would extend to adjacent states. You're probably right that the eastern south may skew more toward coke, but I haven't been there enough to notice.

**Rain Man** · 10-14-2011, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave

PibbXtra supposedly has more cinnamon or something.

Someone show me they have some actual Mr. Pibb. According to wiki, it was discontinued and switched the name to PibbXtra in 2002.

I try to learn something every day, and this is my learned item today.

DJ's left nut · 10-14-2011, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I may be thinking "western south". Texas is the stronghold of Dr. Pepper, and I kind of assumed that would extend to adjacent states. You're probably right that the eastern south may skew more toward coke, but I haven't been there enough to notice.

Ah - so that settles it:

Texans are dicks.

Dammit, Rainman - where were you a decade ago when this debate was raging on?

**mlyonsd** · 10-14-2011, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

Coke Zero is okay. I prefer Pepsi Max, though.

If I did a blind taste test I'm not sure I could tell the difference between Coke and Coke Zero. They're pretty darn close.

**mlyonsd** · 10-14-2011, 12:48 PM

I can remember when Mr. Pibb first came out.

Man I'm old.

whoman69 · 10-14-2011, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pr_capone

Dr. Pepper sucks.

bite your tongue

**BigMeatballDave** · 10-14-2011, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

Coke Zero is okay. I prefer Pepsi Max, though.

Pepsi generally sucks but I do like cherry Pepsi

whoman69 · 10-14-2011, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

We could never figure it out.

The best we could come up with was that Dr. Pepper is probably the most 'sugary' of the fountain sodas. Generally folks that eat a lot of lower quality foods will either salt or sugar the hell out of them to make them taste better. So we figured Dr. Pepper was an 'acquired' taste that came from a lower socioeconomic status. (How's that for the height of douchebaggery?)

It was the best we could do. It really doesn't make any sense to speak of, but it was a running joke when I was waiting tables and another friend of mine that worked in an Italian joint volunteered it out of the blue on day. I gotta think there's something to it.

I would get Mountain Dew.

I think the answer lies in the fact that restaurants usually have a distributor for their soft drinks from a certain company and usually that's either Coke or Pepsi. Most places I have been to will give you the closest to dr. pepper if you ask for dr. pepper.

**Rain Man** · 10-14-2011, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

I can remember when Mr. Pibb first came out.

Man I'm old.

I thought it was a big mistake to name it "Mr." when it was taking on a competitor with an advanced degree, "Dr." They should've gone with either "Professor Pibb" to compete intellectually or perhaps gone with a royal moniker to imply social superiority, such as "Viscount Pibb" or "Duchess Pibb". They voluntarily yielded the high ground to Dr. Pepper.

Johnny Vegas · 10-14-2011, 01:09 PM

I honestly think its by demand. The bar I work in doesn't have Dr. P or root beer but the restaurant does. I remember the restaurant not having it for a year and came back with it after so many requests. I could ask.

4th and Long · 10-14-2011, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I thought it was a big mistake to name it "Mr." when it was taking on a competitor with an advanced degree, "Dr." They should've gone with either "Professor Pibb" to compete intellectually or perhaps gone with a royal moniker to imply social superiority, such as "Viscount Pibb" or "Duchess Pibb". They voluntarily yielded the high ground to Dr. Pepper.

I had a similar thought but had the word, "Magesty" in my head.

Magestic Pibb.

Wow ...

**Rain Man** · 10-14-2011, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Vegas

I honestly think its by demand. The bar I work in doesn't have Dr. P or root beer but the restaurant does. I remember the restaurant not having it for a year and came back with it after so many requests. I could ask.

Ooh, ask them, please. And ask about the whole contract thing and whether it's different to add Pepper/Pibb. Thanks in advance.

**Rain Man** · 10-14-2011, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4th and Long

I had a similar thought but had the word, "Magesty" in my head.

Magestic Pibb.

Wow ...

Ooh, that's good. The majesty part appeals to the aspiring upper classes while the friendly misspelling appeals to the mass market.

If they had gone with that, the whole world would be drinking it right now and this thread would never have existed.

Frazod · 10-14-2011, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whoman69

I would get Mountain Dew.

I think the answer lies in the fact that restaurants usually have a distributor for their soft drinks from a certain company and usually that's either Coke or Pepsi. Most places I have been to will give you the closest to dr. pepper if you ask for dr. pepper.

I love Mountain Dew, it will always be my favorite. I made the switch to diet years ago, but every now and then I will still have one - it is the only regular type of soda that I still drink.

Can't stomach Diet Mountain Dew - it's just wrong.

**BigMeatballDave** · 10-14-2011, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frazod

I love Mountain Dew, it will always be my favorite. I made the switch to diet years ago, but every now and then I will still have one - it is the only regular type of soda that I still drink.

Can't stomach Diet Mountain Dew - it's just wrong.

What is it with diet Mt Dew? I mostly drink diet sodas, but if I want a Mt Dew it has to be regular. Possibly the worst diet soda ever.

10-14-2011, 12:37 AM
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $2978491 VARSITY	Why do restaurants not carry Dr. Pepper? Seriously, why? I go into restaurants all the time and ask, "May I have a Dr. Pepper or Mr. Pibb?" and I get told, "We only have Coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite", or "Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, and Sierra Mist". Sometimes there's a Mountain Dew in there, but it's rare to get a Dr. Pepper or Mr. Pibb. Why is this? What's so hard about having that fourth type of soda? Is it cheap to offer three types and really, really expensive to have a fourth? Does the existing equipment only have infrastructure for three types? Do health departments put you in a high-risk category if you offer four types? Why do fast food places offer four types or even more when sit-down restaurants can't seem to get past the magic number of three? And why do they always have a soda, diet soda, and white soda? Do the soda companies offer packages that specifically exclude Dr. Pepper and Mr. Pibb? Why? Do they also offer packages of, say, Coke, Diet Coke, and Mr. Pibb, but no Sprite? Or maybe Diet Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, and Sierra Mist, but no Pepsi? It's not a big deal to have a fourth soda, restaurants, and it damages my dining experience to not get Dr. Pepper or Mr. Pibb. Get on it.
Posts: 141,706

10-14-2011, 12:48 PM	#65
mlyonsd Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Spink, SD Casino cash: $1333762	I can remember when Mr. Pibb first came out. Man I'm old.
Posts: 38,917

10-14-2011, 01:09 PM	#70
Johnny Vegas MVP Join Date: May 2008 Casino cash: $5593814	I honestly think its by demand. The bar I work in doesn't have Dr. P or root beer but the restaurant does. I remember the restaurant not having it for a year and came back with it after so many requests. I could ask.
Posts: 5,092