Fountain Drinks (free Refill) Recipe
Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Lemonade, Crush, Starry, Dr. Pepper, Sweet/Unsweet Tea, Fruit Punch, Shirley Temple, Root Beer, Roy Rogers, Arnold Palmer
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Ingredients
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Base Sodas & Mixes
Non-Carbonated & Tea/Flavor Bases
Mocktail Syrups & Garnishes
Mixes for Named Drinks
Ice & Service
Method
Fountain Drink Service (General)
Prepare glass and ice
Fill a 16 oz cold cup about halfway to three-quarters full with ice (approximately 1 to 1.5 cups of ice). This keeps the drink correctly chilled and prevents excess dilution.
Dispense carbonated sodas
For a plain fountain soda (Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Starry, Crush, Dr Pepper, Root Beer): position the cup under the dispenser nozzle, tilt the cup slightly and press the dispenser lever. Dispense soda until the cup is about 3/4 full (approximately 8 ounces / 1 cup of soda). Aim for a steady pour to maintain carbonation and avoid foaming over. If foam forms, pause briefly and continue once it subsides.
Serve lemonades, punches, and teas
For non-carbonated options (Lemonade, Fruit Punch, Sweet or Unsweet Tea): use the appropriate non-carbonated dispenser nozzle. Fill the cup to approximately 3/4 full (about 8 ounces / 1 cup). For sweet tea vs unsweet tea, choose the sweet or unsweet nozzle accordingly.
Adjust fill for carry-out or lighter drinks
If the guest requests a lighter soda or more ice, reduce the soda volume to 3/4–2/3 cup and top with additional ice. For a stronger-flavored beverage (e.g., Mountain Dew), fill closer to 1 cup.
Named Mixed Drinks (Shirley Temple, Roy Rogers, Arnold Palmer)
Shirley Temple
Fill the cup with ice (~1 cup). Pour about 3/4 cup (6 fl oz) of lemon-lime soda or ginger ale. Add 1 teaspoon of grenadine (approx. 5 ml) slowly; it will sink and then blend slightly. Garnish with one maraschino cherry on top and serve with a straw.
Roy Rogers
Fill the cup with ice. Pour approximately 3/4 cup (6 fl oz) of cola (Pepsi). Add 1 teaspoon grenadine to taste (adjust to 1–2 tsp for sweeter). Stir gently once to incorporate the grenadine. Garnish with a maraschino cherry if desired.
Arnold Palmer
Fill the cup halfway with ice. Pour equal parts unsweetened or sweet iced tea and lemonade. For a 16 oz cup, use about 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) iced tea and 1/2 cup (4 fl oz) lemonade (total 1 cup). Stir gently and garnish with a lime wedge if desired. For a large/strong version, use a 60/40 tea-to-lemonade ratio per guest preference.
Customization & Free-Refill Procedure
Free refills: When refilling, pour over fresh ice or top off the existing ice as needed. Use the same soda or switch to another—clean the nozzle briefly by dispensing a small amount into a sink before changing flavors to minimize cross-contamination of strong flavors (e.g., grenadine, punch).
Mixing flavors: For custom mixes (e.g., half Pepsi/half Mountain Dew), dispense each soda sequentially in roughly equal parts to reach the desired fill level. Stir gently if the guest wants a uniform flavor. Avoid mixing incompatible syrups at the dispenser (e.g., heavy grenadine followed by delicate lemon-lime) without a quick nozzle purge.
Temperature and carbonation: Serve immediately after filling to preserve carbonation. If carbonation seems low, dispense more slowly or use colder carbonated water/syrup mixtures if preparing from house syrups.