A fountain drink is a soft drink, prepared locally from a supply of flavored sweetened syrup, carbon dioxide, and water, either manually (as American pharmacists of yore did), in a device called a soda fountain, or in a vending machine which is essentially an automated soda fountain that is operated using a soda gun. Today, the syrup often is pumped from a special container called a Bag-In-Box (BIB). A soft drink is a drink that contains no alcohol. ... Flavor or flavour (see spelling differences) is the sensory impression of a food or other substance, and is determined mainly by the chemical senses of taste and smell. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Sugar substitute. ... In cooking, a syrup (from Arabic شراب sharab, beverage, via Latin siropus) is a thick, viscous liquid, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars, but showing little tendency to deposit crystals. ... Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound composed of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. ... Impact of a drop of water. ... The mortar and pestle is an international symbol of pharmacists and pharmacies. ... Soda fountain is a North American term referring to the carbonated drink dispensers found in fast food restaurants and convenience stores in the US and Canada. ... A vending machine is a machine that dispenses merchandise when a customer deposits sufficient money into a slot or vent to purchase the desired item (as opposed to a shop, where the presence of personnel is required for every purchase). ... Typical Soda Gun A soda gun is a device used by bars to serve various types of drinks. ... In packaging, a Bag-In-Box or BIB is a type of container invented by William R. Scholle in 1955 for the storage and transportation of liquids. ...

Also referred to as a post mix machine in some markets.