Food Theory: The SECRET to McDonald’s Sprite!

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Let’s get one thing straight, Loyal Theorist: McDonald’s Sprite straight up SLAPS! There is no Sprite more fizzy and satisfying than the one from your local Mickey D’s. But why? WHY is this the case? Is there more carbonation? More syrup? Does the STRAW somehow play an effect? Or are the machines just built differently? There’s a reason your McDonald’s Sprite tastes spicy, and we’re here to share the REAL answer behind this fizzy phenomenon!
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Credits:
Writers: Matthew Patrick and Santi Massa
Editors: Tyler Mascola, Dom Sealion, Jerika (NekoOnigiri), Warak, and AbsolutePixel
Sound Designer: Yosi Berman
Thumbnail Artist: Dan Lerner
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#McDonalds #Sprite #FastFood #FastFoodReview #FastFoodHacks #McDonaldsFries #McDonaldsFrenchFries #McDonaldsHacks #Drinks #BestDrinks #Conspiracy #Theory #FoodTheory #Matpat

[@YouTube]

now THIS is science 🧪

[@chapuu376]

tru e

[@just_a_dead_dude]

Give me money

[@Goatballs]

KZbinebebebbeebebebeb!!!!!!

[@just_a_dead_dude]

and bring back dislikes

[@_Jebb_]

BRING DISLIKES BACK

[@doggo4078]

McDonald’s sprite is laced with a tiny amount of ice cream, the true reason it’s always broken.

[@greggersonny]

the reason why the ice cream machine is broken all the time is because the ice cream is 12.7% hydrochloric acid

[@theofficialgamerman]

as a spirte i aprove of this massge

[@doggo4078]

@@greggersonny only 12.3% seems like it should be at least 50. (To be clear I know it’s stupid)

[@909Dominus_]

​@@theofficialgamerman you're an imposter, you're the official gamer man not an official sprite

[@lancetheking7524]

That sounds oddly good

[@brainhappy]

I love how they made an emphasis on using individual straws and Matt made a point of licking the bottom of his straw every time

[@jessy1982]

I'm waiting for the theory of how many germs are there when sharing food/drinks.

[@queendiamond5083]

Honestly it was bothering me so much 😭

[@lucassalazar2495]

I actually shivered every time I saw that

[@nadinedarien]

Yeah it would have been better if he did this with Stephanie.

[@EpyonRules]

I wonder if that was why they broke out a second glass bottle and plastic cup.

[@C00KI3Z_And_Dad]

To be 100 percent, you'd have to test at the McDonald's with a fresh sprite pour. The travel time, ice melt and temperature difference will definitely make a difference when doing the testing. Very thorough and great content as always!! Cheers.

[@ItsMeNJC]

Not a single ice cube left in the McDonalds one. The Coca Cola standard is to fully fill the cup with ice so clearly it’s 50/50 water and Sprite by the time of filming.

[@NMFJAmierGT]

🤓

[@Mr.Helper.]

Is that his wife ?

[@aidenkoh2426]

The biggest difference probably comes from the carbonation “escaping” through the straw hole of the cup they used.

[@2Braineatingamoeba]

McDonald’s puts something into sprite to make it taste better i know how it feels

[@BrittaniCow]

My question is how long was that sprite from McDonald’s sitting before you taste tested it? In that time it would’ve became more flat tasting and the ice would’ve melted, completely changing the flavor from right when you get it.

[@C41N4]

I was thinking the EXACT same thing 😅

[@evapunk333]

Yeah but they still seemed to like it even more than the rest of them. Usually, when I get soda from McDonald's, if I leave it too long, it tastes gross. I don't think they would have preferred it over the rest of it had sat too long.

[@zachariahrich3354]

Was thinking the same

[@RandonIsAwesome]

I think they let the ice melt specifically because the standard "1:5 water:syrup ratio" they use includes the ice being melted. But if other restaurants are not using this same standard that INCLUDES melted ice. This makes McDonald's soda naturally sweeter in the beginning, and just normal if the ice melts fully.

[@dreamsickle955]

I was surprised they skipped this, of course a drink sitting out for 30 minutes is going to be less carbonated like wtf, leave the can and bottles open that long and see how much they have left

[@Luchabul]

If they do an episode revisiting old theories, I'd like them to come back to this one. The fact they let the McDonald's Sprite get watered down and settle, while everything else was opened fresh, I think could explain how the McDonald's Sprite is seemingly walking out of this with an inverse appearance to what was originally proposed

[@BlazeHN]

They could make this test maybe at the very McDonald's, popping some new post mix drink every time they gonna take a sip and compare to the other things.

[@darklanternstudios7691]

They also weren't blind testing, so the bias (even if unintentional) would still be there.

[@mae_j]

Maybe they could do a blind sample next time by putting all of the sprites in the same type of container in a fridge for some time so they are all at the same temperature. (And don’t put ice in the McDonald’s one). Then after they’ve been chilled at the same temperature, they could try them. This would create a more even playing field and maybe we would get better results!

[@moldy2857]

I agree with this but I also was thinking that when they drink with a straw out of a can and the bottles it is more concentrated that when you just sip out of it like you usually do. I think that when you compare the McDonald’s sprite with the straw to the others without the straw the McDonald’s one will be spicier and better than the others.

[@Mr.galvez]

I want to know if they got it in the drive thru or got it from the coca cola freestyle dispenser I feel like the freestyle dispenser makes sodas taste way different either to strong or too weak never just right. I think the drive thru might use a different dispenser but I may be wrong or just crazy

[@Chardesty99]

My only gripe with this taste test is you compared a fountain soda to 3 sodas that had to be sealed shipped and sat on a shelf. I think a more fair comparison would’ve included other restaurants’ fountain sprites so you could see what makes McDonald’s stick out among other fast food places

[@SkyFlame27]

Ohh good point

[@ybfriendlystrawberry]

Ohhh that's interesting o: I didn't think of that

[@LittleBitVic]

Each with and without ice would isolate more variables, too. I'm a sans ice fan myself -- gimme the burn for as long as possible!

[@fotisxevgenis]

I think more importantly they tested two different things . Sprite in a bottle/can was made to be poured in a glass over ice. The carbonation is stronger in the can/bottle but once you poured it in a glass it will be exactly likes mcdonald's, and the ice will water it down just enough to make it pleasant. Edit: Im a chronic soda drinker and I refuse to drink any soda without Ice. it changes it

[@Froatgoddess]

There's also the fact that the sealed sprites were just opened then, but who knows how long the mcdonalds sprite has been sitting in that cup.

[@phathomthis]

You should have tried the canned and bottled versions with ice to see if that would make a difference or if it was the same as with the McDonald's Sprite.

[@zerillisguren7720]

I like how they used seperate straws for the taste test. But proceeded to lick the bottom of the straws and then stick them in the drinks lol.

[@rapsakkc-rwoah9258]

I was thinking that the whole time 😭

[@dylanhughes572]

Even smart people forget how germs work now and again I guess...

[@sagirasalutesyou8033]

I was hoping other people had noticed

[@Samimies]

AYO that is funny

[@ayanoshark]

I was looking for this comment bc to me it’s pointless to use different straws

[@niteowel9052]

I think they should have done this in the car immediately after getting the sprite, and also done a blind taste test like they have in past videos

[@Tori-5507]

I agree, I'm surprised it wasn't a blind taste test because I feel like might be some bias going on with the whole "vibes" thing

[@dianapennepacker6854]

Yeah my first thought. Fountain soda goes flat ASAP. That is why I generally dislike ordering it unless I am right there and then... This is like the third test where they ordered fountain and compared it at home. It is like the ice melted somewhat and the soda definitely flattened out. Soda goes flat pretty quickly in general which is why I prefer cans or small bottles. Wish I had a sparkler machine at home so I could over carbanate soda before drinking it as it drastically changes the tastes. Use to use this Pizza Hut machine to make mountain dew and thing was not calibrated I think because it was spicey AF and GLORIOUS!

[@aliac0178]

My first thought was “why aren’t these behind a box for a blind taste test?” Like, how can you say for certainty that it’s different if you had a visual que to tell you it’s different the whole time

[@TimeBucks]

Rachel is hilarious!

[@josegabrielsh]

muy interesante y algo alocadas algunas de estas teorías!!

[@AHSiyam-mb7th]

🪴🪴🪴

[@gunjankumar650]

Good

[@-Only.Facts-]

She thicc

[@evamarkoneszilvasy9997]

Nagyszerű!

[@mr_derp858]

“Um, manager… someone wants to speak to you” Manager: “ugh,melt her in. I’ll ban her from the store “ Matpat: “I’d like a full extensive background on how your drinks get shipped to you”

[@TheLegoknightyt]

Matpat will never run out of strange ideas

[@Amazingc00kingskills]

On god

[@ddesmarais7251]

Why does this comment chain have Soo many bots

[@Neonyikira]

for sure

[@BlackoutMV]

Facts

[@cxrx2425]

@SturnioloTripletsoff ktya

[@john-wiggains]

I wish this had also been a blind taste test. Plus fresher sprite, or at least an explanation of “we just got this from the McDonald’s 5 minutes away”

[@j.prt.979]

Yeah, bit of a flawed test. Seems like they were influencing each other's opinions subconsciously too.

[@mocapcow2933]

Well yeah, this channel gets less science based over the years. It’s cool just to pass time, but not really if you want to learn

[@JmerkzU]

​@@mocapcow2933 0lplho! Edit: I'm not even joking I fell asleep typing something and that's how it turned out 💀

[@Bbl_rey]

Beef tallow is not unhealthy. It is actually really good for you. Other oils are please don’t spread false info on such a big channel

[@kimberlywilliams931]

before reading through the comments, I said it needed to be done blind

[@masqeman4000]

I'm a bit surprised they didn't do a blind taste test. Usually when they are comparing flavors like this they do

[@thunderfyrekinggaming2243]

It’s not that sort of video today

[@AlechiaTheWitch]

It is not a test for difference, it is to notice the type. And thh that is aloy of variablez

[@clownofhonk]

they should have done a gag taste test. then they could see the silenced flavors.

[@xTlsBob4]

Brother… is that you?

[@jabinsgaminguniverse5541]

the fact that matpat can make us watch a 25 minute video about how sprite tastes different from mcdonalds is truly amazing

[@osmosisjones4912]

youtu.be/youtu.be/, vgADXefQRdQ

[@hippyhopohskippydop5792]

I’m treating these channels as like a daily news thing like Oh what’s going on with food theory today? sprite tases, different OK

[@SyukriLajin]

crazier part is they basically came to the conclusion half way through the video and were just repeating the same point. yet i still watched to the end

[@isabellathetiger4802]

@@hippyhopohskippydop5792 lol 😂

[@Sans_The_Skeleton]

I can just hear him talk about anything all day

[@craftylittleguy]

I like how they're each using their own straws but MatPat is licking off his straw everytime

[@SMon42]

I'm just assuming he has a whole stack of straws and uses a new one each time.

[@ceilinh6004]

I could not stop noticing that. 😬

[@madhatter0082]

No double dipping!!

[@JediKnight23]

@@SMon42 Hopefully…

[@TheHassassin]

It is legitimately bothering me so much

[@Professional_Idiot8055]

I love how the ending changed from “bon appétit” to “bottoms up” because it’s a drink based episode! They really love their small details over at the theorists, don’t they 😂❤

[@greyrains9672]

Yeah, but then they missed the chance to swap out the bite sound effect for a sipping sound effect and I'm kinda disappointed about that 😅

[@GalacticalGlimps]

Lol

[@jazzingpanda3190]

Not enough minecraft drinking sounds in this video tbf

[@theaceygeneral]

You don't say

[@GGAriZona]

You tried too hard for a favorite from them

[@Acidburn1155]

"Beef tallow is increadibly unhealthy" So instead lets use some good ol' canola oil instead! Because as we all know, seed oils are among the healthiest option when frying foods!

[@Acidburn1155]

Not sure now if they use canola or vegtable oil, either way they are both really bad for you. Olive oil for the win baby.

[@Amokra]

@@Acidburn1155 yeah no fast food place is using 2 gallons of olive oil per vat :) per day some times

[@C4ndyC4d3t]

Matpat is the only person I would listen to who would ramble on and on about things like tax law. Edit : thanks for 875 likes!

[@balanceseeker2474]

so true

[@eglol]

Fr

[@RegalRadish]

Same

[@gogauze]

Tbf, it's so essential in some industries that a few of us like hearing about tax advice. There was a convention, for my industry and in my city, over the last week, and, one of the necessary seminars I attended-which also seems to have been the most popular-was on that very subject. I learned a ton in that 45ish minutes; enough so to put that presenting accounting firm at the top of my local list for tracking and filing my business' taxes.

[@Cozy_Chomps1234]

Girly gacha life

[@mylittlemusical6168]

As a former McDonald’s employee I can tell you for a fact that we receive soda syrup in boxes which contain bags, we then hook a bag up to a apparatus which sends the syrup through the system and adds carbonation to it, it then goes to the soda machine for customers and drive through.

[@dreadz314]

Cap

[@universenerdd]

​@@dreadz314it's literally true bro

[@GeldUndKokaine-kc1hp]

​@@dreadz314I worked there in highschool a few years back. He's 100 right, cardboard box with a plastic bag in it. Same for the base of the frappe and smoothie mixes

[@somerandomguy6767]

​@dreadz314 I work at and Arby's and this is literally how we do it too.

[@chloehuckle3918]

Whatever employee he asked was probably like “yeaaaaaaa we totally get syrup sent in through metal casings it’s totally not where we keep the carbonation”

[@GDude_]

I'm convinced that matt is an employee in every single restaurant and is just leaking the secrets.

[@Darkspeed1706]

Nah, that's Jordan the Stallion 8.

[@ongeziwenh]

@@Darkspeed1706 frrrrr

[@eglol]

HAHA

[@holierthanu1]

Mat Pat is a member of the Fast Food Secrets Club

[@andrewrockwell1282]

@@holierthanu1 Now that's a thoery.

[@sowrdlord]

Could also be how thirsty salt from the fries makes you and how MCDONALD'S sprite is "Watered" down since we tend to drink more water when thirsty so a bigger straw compliments this by allowing bigger drinking amount per sip to sooth the thirst.

[@jamietrefz]

Wish you guys could have tried the sprite AT the mcdonalds. you went into detail about how it's the chill factor that makes the mcdonalds sprite so 'spicy' but the sprite would have watered down, lost carbination and lost a lot of temperature

[@ameliasandoval8663]

Exactly! How long has that Sprite been sitting for? A good 20 minutes at minimum

[@johnyliltoe]

I love how they make a point to have separate straws and Matt makes a point to lick the bottom of his straw each time XD

[@dancarli8639]

And they using the same drinks drinking multiple times 😂

[@tobynoll999]

I came to say this. They could have just gotten them each a different drink. I understand then it's a variable of them having different ones, but they did get a second glass bottle one anyway.

[@TimeforGamesGuy]

I noticed that too

[@davidhealdjr.513]

He swapped soit with his HR lady😂

[@eeeeee8762]

Not only that but the dress she’s wearing shows a massive amount of cleavage, seriously, if you’re gonna be seen by some +100k people, some being children, why would you wear something like that?

[@Just_Some_Gal]

I can totally see Matpat dipping french fries into Sprite

[@lolichicken5373]

I think everyone can

[@teancumhurinui-xn2sf]

Ooooww u just got grilled

[@Amethyst.i]

My sister dips everything in her drink 💀

[@diseasedwombat5611]

I did as long as I can remember, and I still do. McDonald’s fries + McDonald’s sprite is the best combo

[@brendanrisney2449]

I honestly expected it

[@Somebodyteehee]

We gotta appreciate how the theorist team is like a family where they even share stuff (drinks, sometimes food) 😂

[@ethanpetersen810]

You should’ve compared McDonald’s sprite with sprite from other fast food restaurants. Fountain drinks in general taste way different from their bottled and canned counterparts.

[@navigrace]

Yes I think there has to be something with it being mixed when you receive it from a fountain to help with that "freshness"

[@davidjavier2152]

This is definitely the part 2 of this “sprite era”

[@colle3291]

I agree, i've always thought that Burger King's fanta exotic tastes so much better than the regular fanta exotic.

[@chazchoo99]

@@colle3291 I've always thought Burger King's sprite was worse than McDonald's.

[@TabbyJensen]

@@chazchoo99 for me BK's coke has actual taste than McDonalds for some reason

[@sackboy555]

i like how matpat puts other coworkers into his videos its nice to see a different option and goes to show you he has a great team

[@arseniccapsule1116]

Seems like he's doing research on whether or not cleavage affects viewership engagement... Shame it's a go to on social media these days.

[@blitzarde]

@@arseniccapsule1116 Yeah welcome to American entertainment. Nothing is approved more than seeing some big ol' bitties.

[@angelojames3835]

​@@arseniccapsule1116please tell me you're joking☠️☠️☠️

[@avaius]

​@@arseniccapsule1116I very much doubt it...

[@tray84]

@@arseniccapsule1116i didnt even notice until i read this comment when he said “which brings us to the final variable” when he brought out the fries

[@MissCaraMint]

The thing about the one with ice is that it changes flavor over time. When it first comes out of the fountain it has a strong punch of a flavor and carbonation. Presumably you take a sip of it before you open your burger and eat your fries. The cold allows for a higher level of bubbles too creating a really punchy first sip. There the key though. The cup is wide enough to allow the bubbles to escape quickly and the ice dilutes the flavor, so as time passes and a highly flavored drink wound grow overwhelming over time the taste actually becomes more mellow to become more palatable, just as the bubbles become less pronounced due to dispersion. I really think this combination could be key.

[@thunderfyrekinggaming2243]

Chips

[@Max9876-o6u]

In a couple of mattpats videos I've seen variables that don't appear to be mentioned 🤔

[@DreamLogic26]

@@Max9876-o6u It was mentioned in this video at 7:18

[@Max9876-o6u]

@@DreamLogic26 thanks for pointing that out, must've missed that the first time 😅

[@LilBeanator]

I love how they're so serious about tasting the difference in Sprite! LOL

[@TheForkRebel]

Glad to see that my boy Jordan, Leader of The Fast Food Secrets Club got a small shoutout here. I think him and Mat could fully expose all the fast food secrets if they worked together

[@BasedMace]

That's president to you and I implore you to put some respec on the mans title.

[@TheForkRebel]

@@BasedMace of course, my mistake. I typed this quickly and failed to see my error

[@NakaharaChuuya_SKK]

the president knows all on fast food

[@Dendro_cat]

Yeah, we need a collab between Matpat and Jordan fr

[@camtranquoc3745]

ok

[@spencereades]

The McDonald's cup was flatter because it had been out in the open air since you purchased it, right? The other three containers were opened on camera.

[@drewbarber522]

I was thinking the same thing. As a matter of course fountain dreams go flat quicker. The ice also gives more spots for bubbles to condense and leave the soda.

[@LocalMaple]

Agreed. Compare the walk to the table, to the drive home and setup for video recording.

[@MurcGnilrits]

Yeah!! He needs to see this

[@gogauze]

There are definitely ways they could have mitigated the carbonation loss. But, because it was never discussed in the video, I doubt they did any of them. Similarly, Team Theorist should have blinded the taste testers to the best of their ability. Maybe they felt it was just too much of a hassle because fountain drinks, necessarily, have ice in them. But it still pings as a little weird since I feel like they've done it in more complicated scenarios before. Perhaps this video was more off the cuff with folks having been out of town for that Taylor Swift concert 😅

[@itachii267]

Agreed that's all I could think about. Not sure this test was as proper as it could have been.

[@soapm8119]

I don't even like soda but that McDonald's Sprite hits so different it has to be an exception.

[@FTLollipops]

Well all miss you mattpat!

[@alexsgameplaysmore4839]

Rachel is my new favorite addition to the theorist team, she seems like the most relatable and fun

[@mattpatt4976]

@@GodOhMyGosh she woman, woman good

[@nickelsey4712]

She is a fun and funny

[@itsyaboiherman]

​@@GodOhMyGosh very hot

[@longnickname_]

We both know that's not your only reason

[@drksaxx]

A lil blatant imo

[@spaz1002]

Since a lot of this boiled down to the wateriness, it would’ve been interesting to see a comparison with fountain Sprite from other restaurants rather than just off the shelf Sprite. It could be that McDonald’s isn’t special, but simply being a fountain drink makes it better.

[@livcuteology101]

Agree, or adding ice to the others. So many variables 😅

[@arthand7672]

As someone who's worked at a bunch of different places with fountain machines, I can tell you that 1. McDonald's Sprite syrup actually looks different 2. Depending on where you get the soda from it can taste different, even if it's the same exact soda. For reference, I've worked at Shell, Mobil, Chevron, quikstop, arco, speedway, loop, and mcdonalds. And at some of those companies I worked in multiple stores and covered in stores across multiple different cites. All of these places used BIB's, which literally stands for bag in a box. It's basically a bag of syrup inside a box that protects it. But companies get BIB's from different vendors and it was pretty much always the case that coke product BIB's were bought from a separate vendor while most coke products were bought directly from coke. And weirdly enough, quikstops tasted better than most. And when I worked for speedway, I had to cover at a store 2 hours away a few times and their soda tasted different than ours. And when I moved on from gas station work because mcdonalds surprisingly paid better, it was a shock to see that their syrup actually had a golden tint to it. All the other places I worked had clear syrup in the BIB's.

[@johnofthenorth6653]

As someone who drinks wayyy to much Mtn Dew I can tell you that fountain drinks do 100% taste different. It was pointed out to me by a former boss and now I can't not taste it.

[@lunarSoul0]

Fountain drinks definitely have a different taste than bottles. Not sure compared to cans though

[@johnofthenorth6653]

@@lunarSoul0 Cans do effect it as well. One of the best drinks to use to test this is milk. Drink some out of a plastic cup, a paper cup, a styrofoam cup, and then a glass cup. After that there is only one you will ever want to drink milk out of.

[@uberian22]

I'd be curious to know how much time passed between dispensing the Sprite at McDonald's and when they actually tasted it. This probably played a significant role in the amount of carbonation they felt. All other products were sealed until Right before they tasted it whereas the fountain drink had been exposed to the air for some time. This would have allowed some of the carbonation to escape.

[@pygmyhorde1821]

Also it would have lost carbonation in the dispensing. And they were drinking directly from the bottles/can

[@Atlessa]

Also the amount of ice melt would be affected.

[@micahbirdlover8152]

@@Atlessa I love your picture 🥰

[@Citizen5101]

Yeah if they didn't drink the Sprite within 10 minutes from getting it at McDonald's then the experiment is invalid.

[@Citizen5101]

Also reusing the straws in the different samples and not having a blind taste test is contaminating this experiment and the bias is invalidating the results.

[@Shiverscale]

McDonald’s sprite just hits different, especially when the fries and nuggets are hot

[@Ky_Mycology]

I love how your both using different straws trying not to share your germs, yet you keep licking the tips and sides that are being put into the shared beverages lmao.

[@wolfiemuse]

I think it must be a weird little tic of his haha. He probably doesn’t even know he’s doing it.

[@luisandresguevararamirez2905]

Also notice that

[@oldgamerwitch]

For my own sanity, I'm assuming it's different straws.

[@jamueI]

She did open the sprite with her teeth tho

[@simonohms2727]

Sounds like the HR representative should handle that while she is there😂😂

[@SpiritusVulpis]

Watching Rachel pop open that sprite with her teeth gives me the impression she's the type to key beer cans and chug them for some reason

[@chaoshelm]

I love your pfp mate

[@d.k.t.3380]

I believe the technical term for that is "a keeper"

[@Hitomora]

Yeah she was a Wild Child growing up

[@lordlofty9689]

why no stephany this episode?

[@moonstone9292]

Ever see the short of the woman kicking open the bottle of beer with another bottle then giving the eyebrows? Same vibe

[@skraphashobbies]

Is it just me or is food theory going back to their editing roots? Either way, I’m lovin’ it.

[@phaylnx]

Pun intended?

[@mamunrashid6404]

@@phaylnx Probably

[@estrife4892]

Paparapapa?

[@skraphashobbies]

@@phaylnx yes, absolutely.

[@bl_S510]

I love how I got a McDonald’s ad before this

[@catholiccontriversy]

8:17 as someone who is a connoisseur of ketchup, I can conform that there is a difference between McDonald's ketchup and normal ketchup, a BIG difference.

[@MsOdd86]

They make their own ketchup as their own personal brand so yeah probably

[@RheylixWise]

What does it taste like? Is the mouthfeel different too?

[@private1177]

@@MsOdd86 they dont make their own ketchup but they have their own recipe for the most part. They get their ketchup just like everyone else from already existing companies. for a long tiem this was Heinz but now in germany at least its delevey. And in storey you can actually buy the mcdonalds brand ketchup and the delevey brand ketchup in store, with the same bottle and the same taste and ingredients. Its just that the branded one costs more. So no. They certainly do not make their own ketchup, they just parter up with ketchup producers and in the US they have their own recipe. But thats it.

[@catholiccontriversy]

@@RheylixWise it's a stronger tomato flavor I'd say. Not sure exactly what it is but it's better.

[@Mehwhatevr]

Every restaurant has their own ketchup. The ketchup also seems designed to complement the food. Try Burger King, Wendy’s, KFC, etc ketchup with McDonald’s or any other combination. It works, but it isn’t the same

[@na3rial]

I would love a blind test using the can, bottle, McDonald’s, Wendy’s (or other fast food soda fountain)

[@pXnTilde]

You really expect any semblance of scientific rigor? (despite the claims)

[@ReXiRa787]

Pretty sure he has done that for diet coke

[@kadenmiller3786]

The fact that I just watched 2 people drink sprite for 10 minutes without realizing is crazy

[@scotte83]

Lol yup

[@Kev.in1997]

It's science!!

[@looygibros_060]

The fact that KZbin themselves commented on this video shows that Matt is the greatest KZbinr of all time❤❤

[@illiteratemochi4150]

I do wonder if the time it took to get that McDonald’s sprite and set it up with the experiment let the sprite lose a lot of its carbonation. As someone who works at McDonald’s and drinks sprite there constantly, it’s definitely more intense right after being dispensed rather than after it’s sat for a bit. Not to mention, the other contenders all had the upper hand. They all were opened right there right before being tasted, while the McDonald’s sprite had definitely been sitting there for at _least_ ten minutes or longer.

[@ceilinh6004]

Could not agree more.

[@shrimps6228]

That's what I was thinking the entire time. Soft drinks are at their best when consumed directly after dispensing. After a few minutes it already loses so much of its fizz

[@Preciouslynnette]

Yea I definitely agree. They should have been in the car and tasted it right as they got it. Cause there is no way that it’s less carbonated than a glass bottle of sprite 🤨

[@sanjanaakotyada4753]

“At _least_ “ Um, *what?* 😂

[@gogauze]

I think that's definitely a factor in the results from the video. It probably would have been a more reliable taste test if they'd filmed at, or outside of, the location they got the fountain drinks at. Or, alternatively, ordering a few no-ice sprites to immediately seal into chilled containers, and a few bags of McDonald's ice, to recreate the fresh fountain drink experience as much as possible.

[@gabrielrcortina]

It's definitely the heavy carbonation. Every drink I've had at McDonald's has been so carbonated that when I burp, it burns my nose. Heavy carbonation is my favorite though.

[@s.i.m.c.a]

difference is that at McDonald's the mix was done before you drink it, while the bottled one was done probably month ago with the bottle shaking infinite amount of times. That's why a lot of carbonation just fly away when you open it and it feels more flat.

[@gabrielrcortina]

@@s.i.m.c.aFr. McDonald's soda is Slap City. What's your favorite drink there?

[@bvadyy]

Mat pat licking the straw every time he drank was so strange to me. bro licked it and put it back in every drink

[@SaleemVFX]

😂😂ikr

[@wgamer5221]

Bro I thought I was the only one to notice. 😂

[@mndlessdrwer]

The low, guttural, "Why is it spicy?" will never fail to send me.

[@raawesome3851]

Where?

[@mndlessdrwer]

@@raawesome38510:41

[@adriannafitzgerald3252]

As someone who worked at mcdonalds. I think it's the filtered water. We keep all the soda bags on the shelves at room temp and i think the sprite tastes better with the fries since its a bit watered down with the ice to counteract the salty. But the mconalds water was so refreshing, i miss it. And p.s. our ice cream machine would "break" because people would order too much ice cream at once so it didnt have enough time to freeze or we would run out of ice cream base.

[@BakedWaffleFries]

Work a decade managing a McD, I also think it's the filtered water. McDs does not keep the BIBs chilled. Also true about the ice cream lol, get orders for multiple ices creams back to back and it's going to just spew the mix out. Man I miss McDonald's water. It's my favorite water, so crisp and refreshing

[@michaeltubb1135]

Also worked at a McD's. Some of the best filtered water I've had. I should specify that we weren't a 24 hour McD. Our main issue with the ice cream machine was no one in the night shift would fill it. The heat cycle would fail without enough base and have to be redone. It takes about 1-2 hours if I remember correctly.

[@sandral7829]

I recommend doing part 2 of this but putting all those sprites to cups with lids and seeing if the second testing would end up with the same results when not knowing what sprite is in what cup

[@oleander2712]

I'd be really interested in seeing Mat do a video on the difference between (for example) diet coke in the US vs say Europe or somewhere. Especially due to different food additives laws.

[@Kelly.Smith_14]

Oooo yes please

[@kyokonightstorm5844]

I know there's a difference, but it would be great to see. I can't drink American Coke-Cola because my throat starts to close up. But a Mexican Coke in those glass bottles? I can drink that just fine. It is 100% weird, but there it is. It would make an interesting episode, that's for sure.

[@hoodedsmoke]

MatPat: "I'm an addict!" Same, I LOVE Diet Coke, bro

[@bexyPTX]

Would’ve been interesting to include Sprite from another fast food chain (maybe Burger King or Wendy’s) in the taste test to see whether McDonald’s really is different, though I’m sure you would’ve reached the same conclusion

[@FordPrefect-h6u]

I don’t think Burger King would have Sprite, Sprite is owned by Coke who work with McDonald’s, and Pepsi works with Burger King, so they would have 7 Up instead

[@devintrevor8142]

@@FordPrefect-h6u ??? Burger king has had coke products since 1990... They offer "frozen cokes"

[@nikkiunscripted]

@@devintrevor8142this is correct. BK works with Coca-Cola :)

[@arugula517]

@@FordPrefect-h6u 7 up is dr pepper not pepsi

[@FordPrefect-h6u]

@@arugula517 it is? Huh

[@huttle]

I feel like this channel is a way for matt to write off his strange food habits as a work expense... 💀😂

[@Bas-TB]

It started with putting his games and movies as a business experience, now they add food and clothing. What’s next housing, healthcare and/or Holidays?

[@lunarSoul0]

I mean that is smart if I'm gonna be honest

[@Snowmon89]

Duh.

[@WOLF-666-]

@@Bas-TB slow down u might be onto something

[@saralittman573]

He's written off his entire life now. Almost everything a person needs falls into food, clothes, or entertainment now so i think other than rent everything is a business expense

[@lawnap1115]

Time to absorb this information to randomly bring up in a family dinner to seem smart. Thank you for your service Matpat o7

[@negative_color]

literally me

[@jegger2143]

... I think that just means your smart.

[@janethf6989]

I thought I was the only one that did that!

[@eglol]

Lolz

[@eglol]

@@jegger2143 Well... you're not wrong.

[@Coltfun45]

I clicked on this and another video at the same time and it showed this title and channel, but it is a film theory video

[@neotuxxedo]

I will point out that all of the sprites were sealed except for the McDonald’s sprite, maybe making it flatter.

[@samsillis175]

That's what I was thinking too. Like how long have those McDonald's drinks been sitting there? It's not properly sealed, it's going to lose carbonation the second its poured.

[@demetriam2408]

Also, the one they said was the most carbonated was the one most tightly sealed, the can.

[@chriscisco9880]

Idea: since I think you already made a video trying to find out KFC’s secret recipe, you should do something similar to Dr Pepper, as they constantly advertise their “23 flavors”. Also great video!

[@AshesAshes44]

I swear one of the flavors is violets. Not always, but I haven't studied why, as of yet

[@FairFeline]

Rachel is so such a mood. Opening things with my teeth is a weekly acurance for me.

[@lylacor8401]

Same

[@private1177]

look at the bottle cap.... its already opened

[@everyhandleiwantedwastaken]

@@private1177Why would they fake someone opening a cap with their teeth? 💀

[@dana-hf6nh]

The reason the sprite is so strong Is because They Milk it straight from the Creature

[@Agagnier]

I think you should've tried all the Sprite at McDonalds so it wouldn't go flat on the drive.

[@petrichor9604]

They should have done this as a blind taste test like they have before. That would have ensured preconceived notions didn’t affect their outcome.

[@RyanHaney55]

This discussion is older than 5 years. My dad realized in the 80s that the straw made a difference from other chains. When I was in college, the town's water started tasting like a lake smells. The only restaurant in town that had fountain drinks that didn't taste bad was McDonald's. That's because of the filtered water.

[@Lordwalrein]

Huh. My personal theory was that the McDonald’s machines used a higher syrup to water ratio

[@scoobycool9]

I definitely would want this theory revisted at some point because there is a factor that wasn't considered. The cup. Is it possible that it's the McDonald's cup branding that is making you associate it with the taste you were expecting? Would the result be the same if you put any of the other Sprites in that cup? Also as everyone said, definitely need to keep the McDonald's sprite colder in the next round.

[@Version0111]

I was thinking they should have included one more fountain drink version. Like from a 7 Eleven, or a Wawa.

[@devintrevor8142]

i'd say they need to redo is because aside from the fountain soda all of them were meant to be drank from the container directly. also i think they should have had a gas station fountain sprite as a closer control for McDs

[@thehost9817]

you have to take into consideration that the glass bottled sprite uses cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup

[@alittlekittycat21]

Yeah, I never understood why everybody thought the sprite was spicy but then I remembered I don’t use ice in any of my drinks because it bothers my teeth 😂

[@brrrrrr]

Use a straw or get less ice

[@AkumaDayo]

I do the same thing lol, both because of sensitive teeth and I savor my drink for longer so I hate when it gets watered down lmao

[@Decaycrazz]

Finally I found some intelligent iceless drinkers

[@FitzgeraldStanburyWeissV]

@@Decaycrazz Yeah, I never get ice in drinks from fast food places.

[@Jessepigman69]

@@brrrrrr let the man enjoy his iceless drink

[@boxysnook5647]

I already know why. A bigger straw. For more flavor. Mystery solved.

[@girlgreenivy]

Surprised that they were not expecting the McD's sprite to be less carbonated. How long had it been sitting in that open container whilst they brought it home, set up the cameras etc compared to the cans and bottles that had been opened JUST before they tasted it?

[@jameshinds2510]

I thought that, too, along with the potential that the glass Sprite was a Mexican version, which would use table sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. But the open container will absolutely lose more carbonation and go flat quickly.

[@floyd2386]

Not to mention the ice is going to help the McD's Sprite lose carbonation too.

[@Grounded_Minecraft]

I feel bad for Rachel getting all that germs from Mat licking the bottom of his straw 😂

[@aasercheese5956]

fr lol

[@deeeeesp.]

Maybe she licked it 😉

[@Middanoob]

Fun fact: the reason the taste is stronger is because the sprite is battery acid

[@kingMT514]

Its some good battery acid then😈

[@nathanmacrae9199]

When we ran outta grill acid we'd use a cup of sprite

[@treeonahill3557]

I believe it

[@TealAstill]

No clue about the USA now but for years we in the UK have had to deal with the paper straws instead of plastic, which in theory might make a difference

[@nighthawk6777]

Was hoping for Amy, or Steff, but Rachel was a vibe! Looking forward to the future of the Theorists!

[@iamzedv1914]

not disappointed!

[@AtaulHoqueBegum]

Not dissapointed

[@aspelbees]

The audacity to not use a fresh McDonald's sprite and compare it to the others like it's at its peak. Once it's watered down and turning flat it's so much worse. You need it to be fresh and you can tell a huge difference between them

[@Luchabul]

Yeah, they seemed to prefer it this way, but to come to the conclusion of "McDonald's Sprite is actually not quite as "snap crackle pop" as you'd expect, it seems like their Sprites had enough ice to water it down below the Coca Cola concentration, even if McDonald's boosts it a bit. Genuinely a variable I'm a little surprised everyone overlooked in the process of the episode.

[@BladeRedwind]

This. I see this all the time in food evals on youtube. Guys, you can't fairly just fast food unless you're eating it fresh. I realize that's hard if not impossible to do. But with the this one, they could have judged it right after getting it from the place. Like. In the car. This comment needs more upvotes.

[@lmBored.]

@@BladeRedwind did bro really just say upvotes we're not on reddit

[@biancabrooks280]

14:02 Matt licking the end of his straw and then putting it back into the shared Sprite fills me with rage.

[@ViaCristero]

😂 I was looking for someone else who acknowledged that

[@YourPlushyZ]

Lol yea this made my ocd go crazy and I really do mean that 😭 like why share when you have two of each

[@hilo_iraq184]

yes 🙏 it really pissed me off. like why use 2 straws, just share a straw now 🤢

[@yetinother]

The edit doesn't show if he is replacing the straw, but I doubt it.

[@teeblackgold97]

Exactly! Not sure if he’s intentional, if so that’s disgusting af

[@The1AndOnlyProgress]

Mattpatt licking the bottoms of the straw each time defeats the purpose of having 2 straws haha

[@Broockle]

Haven't had a Sprite in over a decade yet I'm sitting here watching MatPat go to town with it 😅

[@holycow6390]

69 likes nice

[@r.i.p.t.i.d.e]

6 ppl need to unlike for the perfect number

[@holycow6390]

bruh how did it go up so much

[@mistiridungoen]

you are healthiest person on planet earth

[@BLUERAYGUNER]

12:32 the first step to kicking your addiction is admitting you have an addiction, Matt. but you gotta take that second step at SOME point

[@hunterroling4342]

I think a better test would've been to go to different places with the fountain sprite over different sprite containers

[@SMon42]

Part 2?!

[@oscarcacnio8418]

Of course, there's a caveat of whether or not those soda fountains operate and are maintained like McDonald's' soda fountains. Also the possible difference between the fountain behind the counter, and the one that the public can access. Could also compare those fountain drinks with something that comes from a SodaStream. Maybe a Sprite-branded, SodaStream-specific syrup, if the commercial bags aren't available for non-commercial purchase.

[@gogauze]

And also blinding the participants of the taste testing, so they can't bring any preconceived notions to individual products. And it's a little weird that they didn't standardize and blind things, since they've done it frequently before. My only guess is that Team Theorist found it to be more of a hassle than it was worth because of the temps, the ice involved in only one of the products, the significant difference in straw size being evident from mouth senses alone, etc...

[@pixelsuknew1350]

I love Rachel!!! she needs to be a guest more often

[@herrschuler793]

I just imagine Mat Pat just coming to the McDonald’s and being like: I need to talk to your manager!

[@d.k.t.3380]

Food theory has been going for years: at this point, they already know. It's just a matter of how they feel about someone asking to speak to the manager and then not beginning to screech at them like a howler monkey in heat.

[@mbanerjee5889]

You should do this again with more people and as a blind taste test.

[@drsciencebj996]

Little fun fact carbonation makes the drink slightly bitter so when sodas go flat they get sweeter which is why you were tasting more “flavor” with the McDonald’s soda

[@gregorysucher6987]

no sh#t sherlock!

[@Jelly_girl2010]

21:33- Imagine Matt’s friends asking him what he did that day. They’d feel so jealous.

[@CarlytheQueenofChaos]

2:04 I will never recover from MatPat putting the other best food theorist as source in his video.

[@heeeygirl14]

The discontinued Tropic Berry Sprite that was exclusive to McDonalds was the real “spicy sprite” and I miss it so much

[@oriongurtner7293]

Of all the things to not see coming whatsoever in a Food Theory vid, the Theorist Group’s HR Rep knowing how to pop a bottle open _with her teeth_ is definitely high up on the list, possibly at the #1 spot Also bravo, that’s impressive 👏

[@johnofthenorth6653]

Dentists HATE this 1 trick. But yeah, that was a fun surprise.

[@juniphoe]

the HR rep opening a bottle with her teeth is the perfect summary of how chaotic this channel is 😭

[@mrglass2837]

I always liked Sprite less carbonated, I would have the bottle one, shake it for a little bit and let out the gas to make it less carbonated. Nice to know that it actually does taste better and that I'm not completely insane for doing that.

[@SarahAbramova]

My dad and I just water it down.

[@Hambo325]

Nah you're still insane

[@magnificentuniverse2283]

​@@Hambo325yep definitely insane. I came to make the same comment you made, but you already beat me to it. 😂

[@myhero20xx]

I think another big part of it is the fact that in all the other Sprites, you’re typically drinking it mouth to container contact, where as with the cup you will almost always be using a straw.

[@Polygonetwo]

Weird that they didn't think of the obvious answer to the bubble problem. While McD's fountain sprite is more carbonated and at a better temperature, you're getting it in essentially an open-top container. That lid is far from airtight and all the carbonation will begin escaping immediately after it's poured. The bottles and cans, however, trap all that carbon dioxide in the drink because of the seal. Thus the hiss from opening them. Presumably, they bought that sprite earlier in the day and had to set up to film in their studio. The time it takes to get there and get set up gives plenty of time for the bubbles to settle down and stop being so fizzy. If you were to drink it shortly after getting a refill, you'd get notably more bubbles.

[@hastyscorpion]

Yeah I was gonna say the open container as well as the unregulated temperature with ice cubes melting into soda are gonna make a fountain soda you bought an hour ago noticeably flatter than a sealed container that you just opened.

[@evapunk333]

I also find that pouring soda from a bottle or can over ice increases the refreshing "flavor" of it. Tbh, I feel like it's mostly the ice and the fact that it's poured into a cup from a fountain decreasing the amount of carbonation and cooling it to a palatable temperature.

[@missbutterfree]

I noticed Rachel said she thinks the bigger straw provides MORE carbonation from the McD’s Sprite at 18:02, whereas Mat says he thinks the bigger straw lessens carbonation. But at the end, they both agree that the bigger straw provides a better experience.

[@tradetor]

I am always under the impression that saltiness enhances by sweetness and vice versa, so it make sense to water down the soda's sweetness so that when you have a bite of salty food, the sweet level just goes back to where it is supposed to be

[@jethro4453]

I think it makes a huge difference if the McDonald's uses a Coke freestyle machine or a more traditional soda fountain. Sprite from the freestyle machine tastes very different; it has a more lemon like taste, almost like a 7up

[@zombieknifefight2831]

As a worker for mcdonalds I can tell you at least 1. no we do not get it in metal containers, we get it in plastic bags in cardboard boxes, call'em bibs. 2. it is not more carbonated than any other drink we serve, they all run through the same amount of carbonation ((they are actually carbonated when it hits your cup, not before.)) 3. Idk how to really debunk or support this, it's kinda an opinion. The salt on the fries would enhance *any* of our fountain drinks.

[@Jordan_G.]

Love how they use separate straws but Mat Pat licks the bottom of his after each drink and then sticks it back in.

[@krisyates7469]

Have you tried putting the other Sprites into ice? Maybe it'll change the flavor or spice of the drink?