8 Fountain Soda Flavors That Disappeared Forever
Remember rushing to the soda fountain at your favorite fast food joint, only to find your go-to flavor had vanished without a trace?
Some of the most beloved fountain drinks have quietly disappeared from our lives, leaving behind only memories and a lingering sweetness.
Join us on a nostalgic journey through the soda flavors that once ruled the fountain machines but are now lost to time.
1. Hi-C Orange
McDonald’s fans everywhere shed a tear when Hi-C Orange vanished from fountain machines in 2017. Bright, tangy, and impossibly refreshing, it was the drink kids begged their parents to order alongside Happy Meals for decades.
Nothing quite matched that electric orange hue or the way it complemented salty fries. When Sprite Tropic Berry replaced it, loyal fans staged online protests and petitions.
Sadly, nostalgia couldn’t bring back what many considered liquid sunshine in a cup.
2. Pepsi Blue
Early 2000s soda drinkers got a shock when Pepsi introduced a berry-flavored drink that looked like window cleaner. Bold and unapologetically blue, it became an instant conversation starter at every fountain machine lucky enough to carry it.
Kids loved the weird color while adults questioned what they were actually drinking. Despite its cult following, Pepsi Blue disappeared after just two years.
3. Sprite Remix
When Sprite decided to get funky in 2003, Remix was born with tropical flavors that made regular lemon-lime seem boring. Aruba Jam and Berryclear varieties gave soda fountains a splash of excitement and adventurous drinkers something new to explore.
Unfortunately, not everyone was ready for Sprite to break free from its classic roots. By 2005, Remix had fizzled out of fountain machines.
Today, Sprite sticks mostly to safer flavor experiments.
4. Mountain Dew Pitch Black
Halloween 2004 brought a spooky grape-flavored Dew that looked like liquid midnight. Pitch Black became such a hit that it returned multiple times, occasionally appearing at select fountain locations where fans would make special trips just to taste it again.
Dark, mysterious, and surprisingly delicious, it proved grape soda could be cool. Different variations included sour versions that added even more personality.
5. Cherry Vanilla Coke
Combining two beloved Coke variations seemed like genius when Cherry Vanilla hit fountains in 2006. Sweet cherry met smooth vanilla in a marriage that tasted like an old-fashioned ice cream float without the ice cream or the work of mixing flavors yourself.
Bottled versions stuck around longer, but fountain availability became spotty. Eventually, Coca-Cola simplified its fountain lineup.
6. Pepsi Vanilla
Vanilla cola became a trend in the early 2000s, and Pepsi jumped aboard with its own creamy twist. Smooth and sweet, Pepsi Vanilla offered fountain customers an alternative to Coca-Cola’s vanilla version, sparking debates about which brand did it better at lunch tables everywhere.
Despite decent popularity, maintaining multiple vanilla options proved challenging. Pepsi eventually discontinued the flavor at most fountain locations.
7. Sierra Mist
PepsiCo’s answer to Sprite served fountains faithfully for over two decades before vanishing in 2023. Crisp, clean, and reliably refreshing, Sierra Mist became the default lemon-lime choice at Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and countless other restaurants that partnered with Pepsi products exclusively.
Starry replaced it, and longtime fans felt betrayed by the sudden switch. Many argued Sierra Mist deserved better than an unceremonious retirement.
8. Fanta Apple
Green apple candy in liquid form best describes what Fanta Apple delivered at select fountain locations. Tart, sweet, and unmistakably apple-flavored, it stood out among typical orange, grape, and strawberry Fanta options that dominated most soda lineups at restaurants and convenience stores.
Limited regional availability meant many people never tasted this crisp variation. When Fanta restructured its fountain presence, Apple got chopped.
