Soda fountain facts for kids

Soda shop in downtown São Paulo, Brazil

A soda fountain, in China. A small cup costs 1 yuan, and a larger one 1.5 yuan.

Self-service Russian-style soda fountains, in Nizhny Novgorod, in 2007.

A soda fountain is a machine that produces carbonated soft drinks, known as fountain drinks. It does this by mixing a flavored syrup or a concentrate, with carbon dioxide and purified (usually chilled) water. The process can either be done manually, or it can be automated, by a vending machine. The first soda fountains appeared in the 18th century. They spread during the 19th century and were widely used by the early 20th century.

Images for kids

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  A "soda jerk" serving an ice cream soda. His left hand rests on the tap of a soda fountain (1936)

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  An early soda fountain, from an 1872 engraving.

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  Hess Brothers Soda Fountain in Allentown PA, 1913

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  A "soda jerk" serving an ice cream soda in a century-old diner in Bramwell, WV (2013)

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  Flavored syrups packaged for insertion into a contemporary soda fountain

See also

In Spanish: Dispensador de refresco para niños