Montana’s Favorite Coca Cola Flavor Revealed

I can remember the taste like it was yesterday.  It was the summer of 1985.  A glorious summer.  I was 14 years old.  Weird Al Yankovic had just released the album "Dare to be Stupid", the Beach Boys were still together and released a song called "Getcha Back", the Celtics and the Lakers had just battled for the NBA title.  The Chicago Bears were about to embark on their historic NFL Championship Season and Eggers IGA on the corner of Platinum and Excelsior had just put out a new kind of Coca Cola that just seemed to taste to me like summer.  Cherry Coke had arrived and every time I take a sip it almost takes me back 40 or so years.  Of course the real old-timers can tell you about the days of Lemon Coke, Orange Coke and Vanilla Coke being mixed from the syrup to the soda water at neighborhood drugstores way back as far as the 1950s.  Anybody remember the old drugstore on Cobban where BSW Thriftstore now stands?

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These days, drugstore soda fountains are virtually nonexistent but the flavors from the past can be found on store shelves everywhere.  Coca Cola.  Diet Coke. Coke Zero.  Vanilla, Cherry and even Orange Cream Coca Cola are commonplace and as we've found out, Lemon Coke even exists way down South.  Here are some of the varieties that are available across this great land of ours.

What flavor of Coca Cola is the most popular in Montana?  Well, the folks from employers.io did a study and the result might surprise you.

The study analyzed a year’s worth of Google Trends search data to determine each state’s regional Coke product preferences and here's what they found:

There were two standout options:

Coke Zero was the most popular in 24 states, making it the clear nationwide favorite.

• This zero-calorie option dominated in the South and West, including states like Texas, Florida, and California, where demand for sugar-free choices seems to run high. Even Coca-Cola’s home state of Georgia preferred Zero Sugar, showing how expansive their offerings have become.

Diet Coke came out on top in 10 states, with strongholds in the Northeast and Midwest, including Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Minnesota.

• Its long-standing reputation and distinct flavor still resonate with loyal fans, especially in areas where it’s been a household staple for decades.

Other flavors receiving votes for most popular Coke:

• Cherry Coke led in 3 states: Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota.
• Caffeine-Free Coke was the top choice in Hawaii, Iowa, and Kansas.
• Cherry Vanilla Coke led in Indiana and Michigan.
• Lemon Coke topped searches in Mississippi and New York.
• Coke Zero Vanilla was most searched in Maine and Utah.

Do you agree or disagree?  What is your favorite kind of Coca Cola?  Is your favorite soft drink even a Coca Cola Product?  What beverage tastes like summer to you?  To me it will always be our state's favorite, Cherry Coke, although I have moved on to the Cherry Coke Zero option.  Now if we could just do something about the Chicago Bears.