Coca-Cola is discontinuing Tab after nearly 60 years

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  • Tab, Coca-Cola’s first diet soda, is among the drinks heading for retirement at the end of the year as the company trims its portfolio to focus on bigger brands and products with more growth potential.
    [*]Coke first introduced Tab in 1963, but its popularity faded after the company introduced Diet Coke.
    [*]The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the company’s plans to slim down its number of product offerings.
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Coca-Cola to retire Tab, its first diet soda, as it trims its portfolio

Coca-Cola said Friday that Tab, its first diet soda, is among the drinks headed for retirement as it trims its beverage portfolio.
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My mother made all of us in the family drink it instead of Coke when it was becoming popular. Didn't want me getting fat at the age of 7, I guess. I remember it not being nearly as good as real Coke, but it still made my nose tingle. I'm not sure why they kept it around this long. The taste of modern day Diet Coke is much better than Tab, anyway.
 
Tab and Fresca are horrible. Ironically just recently, my 86 year old mother was saying how she never drank any pop. I reminded her of both Tab and Fresca, which she used to drink regularly back in the 1960's and '70's. Back then, the old folks drank some cream soda (kids drank this, too) and ginger ale...and an occasional 7Up (usually spiked and called a "Hi-Ball"). We young-uns loaded up on Pepsi (Dayton was a Pepsi town), Root Beer, Orange Crush and Grape Crush.

Then we discovered "yah-hoo Mountain Dew!" and were hooked.
 
In college I ordered for a student run lounge. Twice a week two stacks of pepsi, one each orange, dew and a few others. An article in the paper named the caffeine contents of different pops. Overnight, we couldn't keep Dew in stock.
 
One of my managers drank Tab like it was water. Other than that not a single weird thing about him. Great guy, in fact.

Admittedly, I drank Pepper like it was water. Well, not quite. He got kidney stones; I didn't. Ouch!

Yeah, Fresca was terrible, too. At least, it was fruity, yes?
 
Zunardo said:
Grapefruity, as I recall. Too tart for me.
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That makes me think of another one: Does anyone still drink Squirt? IIRC, it had a heavy grapefruit favor.

I don't recall ever drinking Tab, but I know it developed a cult following. How long until Coca-Cola disposes of some of its other less-popular brands like Mr. Pibb? IIRC, they discontinued Mello-Yello and replaced it with Surge before eventually resurrecting Mello-Yello. I like Mello-Yello better than Surge. Only thing good about Surge was it was dirt cheap (99 cents for a 6-pack) during its early days of market penetration.

In my frat days, we would hold a senior night where they'd be dropped off at the bar and would be tasked with coming up with "most likely to" awards for the underclassmen while spending a few hours at the bar reminiscing about their college careers. My junior roommate was once awarded "Most likely to shoot himself while cleaning his handgun and drinking a Tab."
 
Mr. Slippery said:
That makes me think of another one: Does anyone still drink Squirt? IIRC, it had a heavy grapefruit favor.

I don't recall ever drinking Tab, but I know it developed a cult following. How long until Coca-Cola disposes of some of its other less-popular brands like Mr. Pibb? IIRC, they discontinued Mello-Yello and replaced it with Surge before eventually resurrecting Mello-Yello. I like Mello-Yello better than Surge. Only thing good about Surge was it was dirt cheap (99 cents for a 6-pack) during its early days of market penetration.

In my frat days, we would hold a senior night where they'd be dropped off at the bar and would be tasked with coming up with "most likely to" awards for the underclassmen while spending a few hours at the bar reminiscing about their college careers. My junior roommate was once awarded "Most likely to shoot himself while cleaning his handgun and drinking a Tab."
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Squirt is terrible tasting, too. Similar to Fresca if I remember...a grapefruity taste. Mello-Yello is better than Surge but not as good as Dew. It tastes like a watered down Mountain Dew to me.

Has anybody heard of Ski? My son was a summer camp counselor at a Boy Scout camp midway between Chillicothe and Jackson in the Appalachian foothills. They loved Ski...very similar to Mountain Dew but with a bit more of an orange juice taste. I believe it originated in Tennessee and has been around the Appalachian area for a long time, maybe even pre-dates Mountain Dew...IDK.
 
Zunardo said:
I loved that commercial when it came out over 50 years ago!
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Get that barefoot feeling drinking Mt. Dew. --- I still remember the Hillbilly on the front of the bottle.

Fresca was the worst excuse for a soft drink. Tab wasn't far behind.
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BlackHawk said:
...
Has anybody heard of Ski? My son was a summer camp counselor at a Boy Scout camp midway between Chillicothe and Jackson in the Appalachian foothills. They loved Ski...very similar to Mountain Dew but with a bit more of an orange juice taste. I believe it originated in Tennessee and has been around the Appalachian area for a long time, maybe even pre-dates Mountain Dew...IDK.
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Made by Double Cola Company ~ H.Q. Chattanooga, Tennessee
200px-Ski_soda_bottle.JPG



Intros: Mountain Dew 1940 / Ski 1956

Double Cola 1933
Pepsi Cola 1893
Coca Cola 1886
Royal Crown (RC) 1905

All other colas were marketed as after thoughts that bottlers first
put out another flavored drink.
~ I.E. Faygo 1907 first produced flavors; fruit punch, strawberry, and grape.

Two oldest soft drinks ~ continuously made
Vernors ginger ale 1866 <======= my go to with Pizza
Hires Root Beer 1876

Moxie (often referenced in Mad magazine) 1880s
Dr.Pepper (10-2-4) 1880s

:>---
SALT
 
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I never drank much Squirt or Fresca, but they were OK.

I do not like any of the lemon or orange flavored beers, but Shiner Ruby Redbird with ginger & grapefruit is not bad.
 
ohiopup said:
Made by Double Cola Company ~ H.Q. Chattanooga, Tennessee
200px-Ski_soda_bottle.JPG



Intros: Mountain Dew 1940 / Ski 1956

Double Cola 1933
Pepsi Cola 1893
Coca Cola 1886
Royal Crown (RC) 1905

All other colas were marketed as after thoughts that bottlers first
put out another flavored drink.
~ I.E. Faygo 1907 first produced flavors; fruit punch, strawberry, and grape.

Two oldest soft drinks ~ continuously made
Vernors ginger ale 1866 <======= my go to with Pizza
Hires Root Beer 1876

Moxie (often referenced in Mad magazine) 1880s
Dr.Pepper (10-2-4) 1880s

:>---
SALT
Click to expand...
I love Vernor's, but I know many find the taste too strong. Canada Dry would be my 2nd choice of ginger ale.

Orange Faygo is terrific!

Used to buy RC 20-25 years ago when they sold it in 15-packs, but I'm generally a Coke guy anymore.

Never thought much of Hire's. Of the lower end root beers, Barq's is my favorite to drink. A&W is somewhat syrupy to drink but makes a great float (haven't had a RB float in years). If I want to splurge, then IBC would be my root beer of choice.
 
My aunt has drank it for 40 years but has had trouble finding it in the NW Ohio area so she picks some cases up when they travel south for the winter. She has switched to Diet Rite which is just as bad.
 
Mr. Slippery said:
I love Vernor's, but I know many find the taste too strong. Canada Dry would be my 2nd choice of ginger ale.

Orange Faygo is terrific!

Used to buy RC 20-25 years ago when they sold it in 15-packs, but I'm generally a Coke guy anymore.

Never thought much of Hire's. Of the lower end root beers, Barq's is my favorite to drink. A&W is somewhat syrupy to drink but makes a great float (haven't had a RB float in years). If I want to splurge, then IBC would be my root beer of choice.
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Hate me some Vernors. Nasty. I think my dad bought it solely because he knew none of us kids would touch it!

I go with the Orange Fanta! Fell in love with that stuff overseas. Many places were charging the same for a bottle of water as they were fanta so said what the hell, why not!
 
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