Drinks may seem like a small part of life, but they can reveal cultural differences between places.
Canada and the United States may have tons of similarities, from fast food restaurants to brand names, but that doesn’t mean Canadians and Americans drink the same things at home.
Often due to differences in taste, portion sizes, or general lifestyle habits, some drinks massively popular in one country are uncommon in the other.
Sweet Tea (Southern Style)
“Sweet Tea” is sacred in the American South. Big scoops of sugar are added to hot black tea while it’s still brewing. It becomes syrupy and very sweet, then served over ice.
Canadians do drink iced tea, but it’s usually just “brisk” style canned iced tea OR lemon-flavored drink mix. Canadians ordering iced tea in the US are usually shocked because of how much sugar Americans dissolve into their “fresh-brewed sweet tea”.
Cherry Coke and Vanilla Coke
Cherry Coke and Vanilla Coke are available at any gas station or corner store in the US. In Canada, the choices are regular and Diet.
The “fruit-flavoured” Coke alternatives are considered “speciality” items that rotate seasonally or appear for a limited time in most Canadian provinces. Canadians who love Cherry Coke will have to go to specialty candy stores that import soda from US suppliers.
Otherwise, you might see Canadians driving across the border just to buy cases of their favourite soda flavour.
Red 40 “Fruit Punches” and Sports Drinks
The United States consumes Red 40 food dye at exponentially higher rates than Canada. Certain American fruit punches (like some versions of Hawaiian Punch or neon red Gatorade flavours) are just a lot brighter than what Canadians drink.
Canada has stricter limitations on certain food dyes, so many grew up without neon-hued “sugar-rush” fruit drinks that are available for American kids.
Kool-Aid Man Jammers and Pouches
Sure, you can buy Kool-Aid powder packets in Canada to mix yourself, but the ready-to-drink “Jammers” or plastic drink pouches are mega-popular in American lunchboxes.
Americans have a wider variety of flavors to choose from, too. In Canada, there are no “Sour” or “Blue Raspberry” variations like they do south of the border.
Big Red Soda
Big Red soda is insanely popular in the American South (particularly Texas). It has an interesting taste; many describe it as “cream soda meets bubblegum.” It is extremely sweet and very red.
You will rarely see Big Red Soda in Canada, and most Canadians haven’t even heard of it. When they do try it, the flavor is often so different from “standard” Canadian sodas that it becomes a polarizing drink.
People either love the sweetness or find it way too strong.
Mello Yello
Mello Yello is Mountain Dew’s major competition in America, showing up in soda fountains nationwide. You can often get Mello Yello at American fast-food joints like Arby’s or Hardee’s.
Most Canadians have probably never heard of Mello Yello. While Canada has citrus-flavored sodas, Mello Yello was only sold up north for a limited time in the early 2000s. Trying a Mello Yello at an American restaurant can be a bizarre experience for Canadians.
Yoo-hoo Chocolate Drink
This timeless American classic is a chocolate drink that is water-based instead of milk-based. This allows the drink to stay shelf-stable without refrigeration.
Yoo-hoo has been around in the US for generations, but it’s difficult to find in Canada. Canadians find the concept of a “chocolate drink that isn’t mixed with milk” strange. They just drink fresh chocolate milk from the dairy section.
Mountain Dew Code Red and LiveWire
Americans enjoy a massive “spectrum” of Mountain Dew flavors. Code Red (cherry) and LiveWire (orange) are commonly found on shelves.
Canadians also love Mountain Dew, but their selection is severely lacking. For many years, Canada didn’t even have caffeinated Mountain Dew (due to old government guidelines). Thankfully, that’s not the case anymore, but the flavor options still aren’t the same.
Arizona Iced Tea “Gallon Jugs”
You can buy the tall-boy Arizona Iced Tea cans in Canada, but the behemoth “gallon jugs” of Arizona Iced Tea (that hold almost 4 liters) are a staple of American grocery stores.
Americans drink these things like they’re water and you can find flavors like “Arnold Palmer” (half lemonade/half tea) or “Watermelon.” Grocery stores in Canada usually only sell the small cans or bottles.
Root Beer Floats (Fast Food Version)
Americans and Canadians both enjoy root beer, but Americans take it to the next level with a “Root Beer Float.”
A root beer float is root beer with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Countless fast food chains in America serve it as a default menu item (for example, A&W USA or Sonic).
Canadian A&W’s are owned by a completely different company that doesn’t sell floats like our southern neighbors do.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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