Why You Should Avoid Ordering A Fast Food Soft Drink (It's Pretty Gross)

Fast food has a long and storied history, starting in ancient Roman times — though what the ancients would make of a modern-day McDonald's, with its electricity and running water, we can only imagine. As fast food technologies have progressed, so has the knowledge about what ingredients go into items like Wendy's chili or Burger King's Big Fish sandwiches. But have you ever stopped and thought about what your soft drinks might contain — beyond their ingredient make-up? There are a lot of myths about soda, but one real concern has nothing to do with artificial sweeteners or carbonation. Matt Taylor, director of food safety consulting for NSF, spoke to us at Food Republic and said, "Fast food fountain drink machines can be a breeding ground for bacteria if not properly maintained."

Taylor continued by telling us that there are food equipment standards for cleaning, but that "many fast-food establishments may not adhere to these cleaning protocols, leading to potential hygiene concerns." Eugh. How often should soda fountain machines be cleaned? According to Taylor, it should happen — ideally — daily. Taylor suggested restaurants set up a cleaning schedule so that the crew knows both when the cleaning was last done, and to "guide the team in the direction of what needs to be cleaned and when."

Short of setting up surveillance at your favorite fast food spot and watching like a hawk for the employees to clean the soda fountains every day, what can you do to mitigate the risk of drinking contaminated beverages? Matt Taylor had a few suggestions, especially for self-serve beverages. "Look for any visible residue or buildup on the machine or cups," Taylor said. "If the machine appears dirty, consider opting for bottled drinks or canned beverages." After all, those come sealed.

Sometimes, our expert told us, you might actually see fruit flies buzzing around a machine's nozzles. "This can be an indication that there are cleaning concerns," Taylor said. Of course, if you do come across this, it's a good idea to let the manager know; how they respond to you might also be indicative of how clean the restaurant is. You can also, according to Taylor, "check the health inspection record, which should be on display." Your county website should also have a record of recent food inspections that took place, which you can scroll through or, in some cases, search.