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It seems like a natural fit: ordering a burger and fries or salad with grilled chicken at your favorite restaurant requires a beverage treat — why not order a tall glass of diet coke to wash it all down?
Unless you're purchasing a can or bottle of soda, there's a really good reason why it's a really bad idea to order diet coke at restaurants. And it has everything to do with the adorable old-timey fountain soda machine that could be more trouble than it's worth.
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Why You Should Never Order Diet Coke From A Restaurant
In a study done in one area in Virginia back in 2010, nearly half of the 90 beverages from soda fountain machines were found to contain fecal bacteria (yes, that kind of bacteria). And a slew of other bacteria — from coliform bacteria to E. coli — were also found in the drinks from these machines.
Whereas other areas of a restaurant, like the kitchen, may be scrutinized more rigorously by health inspectors, soda fountain machines aren't always dissasembled and evaluated at each and every eatery.
Soda Fountain Machines Can Be Downright Dirty
If restaurant workers aren't meticulous about taking the soda fountain machine apart and wiping down tubes and pipes with clean rags and supplies (because dirty rags only spread bacteria and germs), it's far too easy for bacteria to spread and for sticky soda syrup to attract insects like cockroaches.
And even if workers are cleaning the machine, if a restaurant's plumbing is old or not working well, that can affect the cleanliness of a soda fountain machine, as well.
When in doubt, play it safe by ordering soda and other beverages from bottles and cans.
