RC Cola - Why It Failed
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- Опубликовано: 24 май 2022
- RC Cola has faced some unfortunate setbacks. They've never been able to catch up to Coke or Pepsi, and this video talks about why.
Note: This video was originally created in August of 2019 but was never released. I'm putting it out now as part of the channel's big 5-year celebration.
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Company Declines:
Kmart: • The Decline of Kmart.....
Blockbuster: • The Decline of Blockbu...
RadioShack: • The Decline of RadioSh...
Solo Cups: • The Decline of Solo......
Toys "R" Us: • The Decline of Toys R ...
hhgregg: • The Decline of hhgregg...
Pan Am: • The Decline of Pan Am....
ESPN: • The Decline of ESPN......
Gibson: • The Decline of Gibson....
iHeartMedia: • The Decline of iHeartM...
Bon-Ton: • The Decline of Bon-Ton...
Kodak: • The Decline of Kodak.....
General Electric: • The Decline of General...
Woolworth: • The Decline of Woolwor...
Dell: • The Decline of Dell......
Sears: • The Decline of Sears.....
Payless: • The Decline of Payless...
Hostess: • The Decline of Hostess...
Redbox: • The Decline of Redbox....
Nokia: • The Decline of Nokia.....
JCPenney: • The Decline of JCPenne...
Quiznos: • The Decline of Quiznos...
GameStop: • The Decline of GameSto...
NASCAR: • The Decline of NASCAR....
Shopko: • The Decline of Shopko....
MoviePass: • The Decline of MoviePa...
Reebok: • The Decline of Reebok....
The Gap: • The Decline of The Gap...
Pier 1 Imports: • The Decline of Pier 1 ...
Sbarro: • The Decline of Sbarro....
AOL: • The Decline of AOL...W...
Long John Silver's: • The Decline of Long Jo...
Chuck E. Cheese's: • The Decline of Chuck E...
GNC: • The Decline of GNC...W...
Hertz: • The Decline of Hertz.....
Steak 'n Shake: • The Decline of Steak '...
CiCi's Pizza: • The Decline of CiCi's ...
Boston Market: • The Decline of Boston ...
Yahoo: • The Decline of Yahoo!....
Montgomery Ward: • The Decline of Montgom...
Fry's Electronics: • The Decline of Fry's E...
Souplantation: • The Decline of Souplan...
Gateway: • The Decline of Gateway...
BlackBerry: • The Decline of BlackBe...
Sports Authority: • The Decline of Sports ...
Atari: • The Decline of Atari.....
KB Toys: • The Decline of KB Toys...
Pizza Hut: • The Decline of Pizza H...
MGM: • The Decline of MGM...W...
FYE: • The Decline of FYE...W...
HP: • The Decline of HP...Wh...
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Coke really pulled a Fine Bros by trying to copyright the word "Cola".
Nah the pulled an apple by trying to copyright the letter “i”
Cola as a word wasn't first used by Coke, but it was the first carbonated soft drink to actually use the term cola.
Edit: removed part about generic trademark, as this was mentioned in the video.
What is this a crossover episode ? 😂
ok, Mr. Esoterica, we give up.....what is Fine bros.?
@@matthewburris769 They had a few different series that was different groups of people reacting to videos, and then they tried to trademark the word React. Obviously makes sense why they'd want to trademark their brand, but when it's a generic word like that, it's not a great scenario.
RC is way better than people treat it to be.
That's what I said. RC taste way better.
I gotta try it out some day
RC Was amazing and definitely held it's own against the big 2
@@busterbackster1 RC sells well of even goes out of stock where I live in Indiana.
R C is way better than woke a cola
RC Cola is still on shelves across much of the US. Walmart, Dollar General Store, et. al. I buy it every week because a) I like it, & b) it costs considerably less than Coke or Pepsi. It's December 2023 right now and typically two liters are about $1.50 each, and 12 pack cans are always about $1.50 (at least) less than C or P - usually about 33-42 cents per can as opposed to 55-60 cents each.
The Kroger-owned Fred Meyer stores in the Paciifc NW carry RC Cola, so it may be available at Kroger and Kroger-owned chains across the country .
Oh wow u save 2$ compared to brand name original !
RC 12 pack is 6.98 and 2 litter is 1.48 the 2 littler is a better buy for your money but for a 12 pack I rather pay the dollar -50 cent difference for 12 pack of coke
@@georgehilario3544Not bigger, but a better drink.
And Australia !!!
The delivery of the line "Arby's... They bought A R B Y's" was just hysterical to me.
Well... they have the meats...
RC didn't fail. You can still find it everywhere, and personally, it's my favorite cola. It may not be as successful as Coke or Pepsi, but it's definitely not a failure.
Yeah I was confused reading the title of this video because I just drank an RC the other day and think it is still a good solid cola.
🤮
RC cola is great. I actually just saw a new limited edition berries and cream flavor. Definitely not failing, just not a worldwide brand.
It's not as sweet as Pepsi, and not as strong as Coke. It's a perfect balance.
It is my favorite!
Can you really say that RC Cola failed? It’s still in stores, still being produced, and people still like it, and seek it out. As long as there’s a market for it, it truly can’t be a failure. Add to that all the other sodas under the Keurig/Dr. Pepper umbrella, I can’t count it as being a failure.
I think reason they call it because Wal-Mart or Target doesn't sell it in store. Also, RC is always sold out at my local grocery stores so its not failure.
My grandma born in 1926 would drink this as a kid. Dont know how it failed.
@@Bigfoot264 I think RC is more of a regional thing because in the Carolinas (at least South Carolina) it’s available at Walmart, Target, and every gas station you go into
I don't drink a lot of pop. But if I'm in the mood for one I'll most likely buy an RC. It's still sold here in some stores in Southeast Michigan.
@@starrystarrynight52 soda**
As a kid growing up in New York in the '70's , we drank RC cola all the time . We also had something called C & C soda . It came in a variety of different flavors . I would love to know the history behind the brand . Thanks for posting .
I love your videos! Just discovered your channel and have been bingeing for days! Would love to see you do some long form videos too!
Glad to have you here!
Back in college, our business professor decided to have the class take the Pepsi challenge with a 3rd contender: RC Cola. He had everyone estimate what the class's favorites would be before the blind tasting, and then had everyone list which of the three was their favorite after. The professor revealed that over 60% of the class picked RC cola as their favorite of the three.
It's awesome to know someone did this.
@@peterseth3296 That's also why it preforms better in a sip test.
@@kariusbaktus165 Yup, sip tests tend to favor sweeter colas -- which doesn't necessarily mean people will prefer them for whole cans' or bottles' worth. (This was part of what tripped up New Coke.)
@@AaronOfMpls I test cokes based on how it tastes after a sandwich. It’s the burp. Nothing is more whoooooo than Coca Cola after some sweet white starch.
Pepsi tastes better freezing, coke is room temp, RC at any time of the day.
You forgot two of RC's biggest contributions to the industry! It was the first soda to ever be sold in a can, and then the first soda to be sold in an aluminum can
Big if true
I'm sorry but this is incorrect, Canada Cola Company of California put Cola in an Aluminium can during time trials in the early 1800's.
@@empowl1607 Probably "first of the 3 main colas".
@@empowl1607 "Canada Cola Company of California" sounds like they had a bit of an identity crisis.
wow
The Penguins’ arena in Pittsburgh actually sells RC Cola, I think it’s the only major league sports venue in North America that does
My neighbor worked for RC as a truck driver & delivery worker for 35 years. He made no real money since he was on a low hourly pay and made most of his money from commission of sales. It was Him and 1 other guy supplying 6 Virginia counties and 4 Kentucky counties. His pay was low but they had a great retirement package apparently and when he retired a couple years ago he was bringing home more than he ever made while working. So RC might suck but the retirement plan is pretty sweet apparently. I still like RC but the Double Caffeine RC is REALLY GOOD!!
Honestly, the fact that RC Cola was created out of spite makes me like it a LOT
At first, I read that RC Cola was created out of sprite 🥴
Reminds me on Lamborghini, it was originally an tractor producer but as the owner was disativied with his Ferrari he thought he could do it better
last time i checked, RC didn’t attack national staff with a powerpoint order to “be less white” either.
i would drink used motor oil before cokacola (sp int) ever again.
Like Lamborghini that was created out of spite towards Ferrari. Ciao
I buy it out of spite. For 2 years or so I've only bought RC when I want a coke. When Coke told me to "be less white" I decided to quit giving them money
Royal Crown Cola is not out of business. It is still alive and well, and is phenomenally better tasting than Pepsi Cola.
He never said they went out of business
I just had some last week! It goes well with Moon Pies.
@@blakedavis2447 So when you fail a grade in school you still move on to the next grade…cool!
@@TruthOverLies better analogy, you fail a grade and keep going to school either way because they never stopped making Rc cola
@@blakedavis2447 Better analogy…your car brakes fail and you run into a ditch. Your marriage fails…you’re now single etc etc etc
I actually just a couple of years ago tried RC cola for the first time. Near me when all of the other Cola's started jacking up prices for whatever reason our local dollar general had all of the "independent Cola's" remain cheap. RC cola, Barq's, and Fanta remained at 99 cents for a 2 liter up until about a year ago. Cheaper than most places in store brands and much better. I'm more of a rootbeer guy so I was buying Barq's more often. But I've had RC and it's pretty solid. Taste wise it seems like a bit of a middle ground. Not as sweet tasting as pepsi not as dry tasting as coke. Doesn't have the gross minty after taste you get from some store brand Cola's. Pretty solid product. If it's always been that good it is a shame they never figured it out. They seem like a good competing product that just doesn't have the budget to have a meaningful presence. Can't even purchase RC at any of the local grocery stores around me it's exclusively at Dollar General, and Dollar Tree.
I've had plenty of RC over the years. Don't drink much Cola anymore, but when I was a kid, my Grandpa, who's initials were RC, used to joke it was named after him, and he was a big fan of it. I've seen many times in recent years, where Convienece Stores sold 20 oz. bottles at a discount price. (Like 99c when a Coca-Cola or Pepsi might be 30/40c more.
My father always goes by this saying: If a restaurant has RC Cola, you know the food's gonna be good
Damn straight.
Your pops is right! Our favorite family-owned Mexican restaurant had RC Cola. Sadly they have since closed. Let me tell you their food was AMAZING and sorely missed.
I've never come across a restaurant with RC
@@MOBMJ there's a bar in downtown Orlando that has it on tap. A real basement dive bar with low Ceilings type place, but I love it.
Only trust pizza shops that have rc
My family did a just for fun taste test a couple years ago and everyone, I mean 100% of us, chose RC as their #1 pick. So from that day forward, RC has been the only cola I ever buy.
Rc is my favorite drink
That's really cool, I should try it for my family
@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ I've never read the book of John, thank you for introducing it to me!
My roommates and I did a blind taste test and came to the opposite conclusion
I feel ya bro, I had a transgender coworker we worked at a Tacobell and he/she would jizz in the sourcream called it "jizzzam" I suggested they call it "cumshot"
Nothing better than an RC Cola and a Moon Pie! ❤❤❤
Classic!
I remember drinking RC Cola during a trip to Czechia somewhere around 2010. It was quite enjoyable and pretty common in the village I visited, even more common than Coca-Cola or Pepsi. I haven't been there for a while so I don't know if it's still available there.
I actually like RC Cola more than both Coke or Pepsi. It's a shame more people haven't given them a chance as it's actually a great soda.
I tried and loved it, but sadly it's double the price of coca cola in my country :(
I like it too. Still buy it sometimes when it's on sale.
RC literally started as a "Spite Store"...classic...legend. 🤣
I always thought it was some budget off-brand. >__>
@@planescaped nah bro been around 117 years
I like RC and they still sell it in stores near me. Definitely underrated.
Plus its cheaper and tastes just as good my family gets that mostly cause of the price i dont mind it pepsi and coke are good but its pricey compared to rc
Send me some bro 🤣
@@OverdrivenKatana Same in my country, it's best brand for saving a buck.
@@sjsiemka oh ok ya I like that rc is so cheap here very underrated
what year do you live in???
It's kinda popular in Uzbekistan, fnd have modification called "refresher"- it has a nice apple taste and deep green color
I remember back in 70s & 80s (California) all the little Mom & Pop burger shops & taco stands (there mostly all gone now) had RC on tap it was the best way to drink it (with crushed ice) and always seemed like a special treat
The main reason why I ever had RC Cola back in the day was because a vending machine down the street from me was always broken and returned my money every time I bought one. It was like infinite RC cola for a while. Good times.
When I was a kid there was an auto mechanic up the street that had a Coke machine that sold 6 1/2 ounce bottles for a Nickle. The bottle was returnable for a Nickle!
A similar thing happened to me, an RC cola/Cott machine when I was a kid thought washers I found were loonies (1$) and I'd get 50c change and a soda for a washer.
Same here, as a 10 year old, but 75% of the time the machine would eat my money and I'd go home empty handed.
I remember the snack machine in my barracks use to give you back your change in dimes plus your snack. It got emptied out pretty quickly once word spread and then was never refilled and everyone in the barracks got chewed out during a morning muster.
So you’re a thief?
1: RC Cola is superior to coke and pepsi, the flavor is much more distinct.
2: You could get cherry cola (either brand) at any place that served ice cream. You just had to ask them to add cherry syrup to your drink.
you be old rime
Of the 3, Coke definitely has the most distinct taste IMO, but that's not a good thing if you ask me. Very acidic compared to RC and Pepsi.
Adding cherry syrup to a cola isn't the same as the brand's cherry cola though.
@@floyd2386 You're right it's not the same. It's better
@@Z64sports Apples and oranges in my opinion. Honestly, the brand cherry colas don't really taste like cherry, but I personally prefer them to cola and cherry juice.
Grenadine syrup. Cherry flavor goodness.
Who out there remembers having an RC and a moon pie?
I worked at Seven Up/RC in East Los Angeles for over 10 years. We produced thousands of cases of RC every month in many different sizes....
My grandfather told me a story that when he worked in Detroit during the Great Depression, he would always have an RC Cola for lunch. I do not drink very much Cola, but when I do its almost always an RC. The flavor is okay, but the vague emotional connection makes it taste that much sweeter.
Rc cola and moon pies built the us after ww2.
I also have some nostalgia. My grandparents would always drink RC Cola every day at about 2 PM. I don’t really drink that much or any soda, but I will always think of them when I see RC
@@joshsimpson79 -I love how specific the older generation was. Everyday around 2 p.m..., _fantastic_ .
It was called the Great Depression because RC Cola was the only choice to drink for some people.
Awww😍
I had an RC a few days ago, I wouldn't say it failed. It certainly still exists and is available.
yeah especially here at PH it was available EVERYWHERE
I rarely see it where I typically shop, but I do like it. Still think Coke is the best of the colas, with Pepsi being the worst. But RC is pretty good. It has a good aftertaste but doesn't have the burn that coke has that I need in my cola.
Our local gas station has 20oz bottles for 99 cents so it's got my pick
@@LeviBulger lol clearly you like the other kind of coke aswell coke is the single worst soda in existence
No doubt, I buy it every week here in Georgia, 99 cents for 2 liter . Great product to me.
I don’t drink much soda of any kind these days, but back in the 70’s and 80’s, RC was my preference.
I also liked that they nearly never referenced other brands in their advertising, unlike Coke and Pepsi (it was the era of “The Pepsi Challenge”, etc.
Began in 1905 and still exists. Had an amazing presence in Chicago. They are part of the big 2.5 bottlers. Adapted and changed, but did not die. You probably heard of Nehi? Right?
As a kid in the 60's we drank a lot of RC. They always had great promotions, A red RC logo under the cork on the metal cap would get you a free bottle of RC, a blue logo would get you a free 6 pack. 6 bottle caps would get you a free ticket at the local movie theater on Saturday morning. It was a pretty good product and in my opinion they could recapture a lot of the market by trashing the 80s style logo and bringing back the classier Royal Crown name and logo with a few of the old free product promotions.
Kid of the 80's, but I still have fond memories of getting RC whenever I'd get an Arby's sandwich. Atleast until quality started slipping. More the store near me than the soda.
60s I won a quarter a couple of times a week
70s and 80s growing up and RC was pretty popular and I vaguely remember something about prizes in the bottle caps, when soda still came in squat 12 ounce bottles. I had since forgotten about Diet Rite so it was good to see it mentioned. I bought some RC for old time's sake a few years ago. It's a truly terrible flavor that I don't remember being so bad as a kid. I don't know if today's Diet Rite has been reformulated or not, but sometimes, you just gotta let go of the past and be glad that Dr. Pepper is still going strong!
@@austinmillbarge8731 HFCS, versus actual sugar early 80's and back.
RC cola didn't fail, it still widely available nation wide and is most people's first choice for a cheaper good tasting cola because you know Pepsi and Coke are way over priced.
costs the same where I live lol
I don't buy RC because it's cheaper...I buy it because it's better 😊 and being a little less expensive is just a bonus.
If you're dumb enough to pay full price.
And have gone woke.
The fact that it still exists doesn't mean it didn't fail at its goal of competing with coke/Pepsi. It holds such a small market share these days, that's why it's called a failure in this context.
I like Diet Rite too, which I believe uses Sucralose instead of aspartame as a sweetener.
If you're gonna eat a Moon Pie, you gotta have an RC Cola.
RC is delicious! If someone offers me a coke, a pepsi, or an RC, I'm going to choose RC every time. I just love their cola taste over the other two. If you've never tried RC or haven't had RC in a long time, go pick some up and support them!
I just bought three cases this week. Yum
My only complaint is 't hat it serms to go "flat" so quick. I don't remember it doing that when I was a kid...
When was the last time anyone offered you the choice of Coke or RC Cola???
@@kurtpena5462 when's the last time anyone offered you a choice in anything, especially if they didn't even have multiple things to chose from? What's the point of your question anyway? If offered drinks at someone's home, there's always the option to decline any offer, so if someone doesn't like the taste of something, or the lack of healthiness of it, they still don't have to consume something they dislike.
Me too I grew up on RC cola. 👍
I still occasionally drink RC, but in the late 80's Cherry RC was hands down my fav soda over all of them, & it was hugely popular then for a few years.
Tried cherry rc a couple months back. It was pretty good
my total favorite!! :)
Gotta try because I love cherry coke
I wonder why they never introduced cherry cola here in my country
@@nunyabiznes33 - its great, hope you get a 12pk of it
RC and Faygo were my favorites growing up. For some reason Birmingham, Alabama was a huge hub for Faygo distributors. So we had it all over Alabama way before ICP existed.
I went to Guatemala in the 90s. Instead of grocery stores they had tiendas. They were little shacks where you could buy just a few items, beans, rice, bacon, eggs, RC cola.
Fun fact: RC Cola was part of a "staple meal" for the Poor Southern Working man that would have that along with a Moon Pie during their Lunch Breaks. They actually have an annual festival dedicated to that called the "RC Cola-Moon Pie Festival" up in Bell Buckle, Tennessee which would happen normally around the 3rd Saturday in June as it's going on since 1994. Been up there a few times, and it's quite an interesting festival.
That combo was a staple of American lunboxes for much of the 20th century.
As seen in The Green Mile
interesting, tbqh didn't even know that. i just recently discovered something new about (RC.)
And the classic nabs, Vienna sausages, and Pepsi.
"Lifestyles of the Not So Rich and Famous."
RC is no joke and hasn't failed me. I purchase it regularly. It beats the sweetness of Pepsi and the "roughness" of Coke.
I drink all three but really do prefer. RC cola.
Not exactly on topic with your comment but I would just like to say all soda went to garbage after they switch from cane sugar to corn syrup. I can’t even drink any pop or soda with corn syrup anymore because I break out. And whoever thought drinking corn is a good idea is crazy. The flavor of all the soda companies is trash now because of that fact
@@GisherJohn24 I've cut back consumption. Ice cold water with a slice of lemon or a 50/50 mix of
orange juice and club soda can be awfully refreshing while leaving no aftertaste.
Drink water
*Mitch* have you noticed a flavor change? I loved RC until they took out the Phosphoric Acid (used to Sweet Tarts Tart) Now RC just tastes like Coke.
@@jetcitysinatra7300 I'm afraid I'm not a connoissuer, I just noticed that, for me, RC fills a niche. Not as sweet as Pepsi
and not as strong as Coke-Cola. At McDonald's, for some reason their fountain Coke is just killer, but for regular consumption
RC works for me.
I grew up in Michigan back in the 70s, and I remember seeing RC all over the place. I’m still a fan! I don’t see it on the shelves very often, but when I do I snap it up.
One thing I can confirm, it makes a great sauce for barbecue meats. Plus it doesn't have all the stuff in it to degrease an engine with, like Coke a Cola does. To me the best degreaser and drain cleaner is the "Red label" contender.
As someone who lived in the Philippines, RC just brings so much nostalgia. During hot summer days, I'd go to the local sari-sari store, buy myself a bottle, and be called by my friends to play outside. Nowadays, they still give me a bit of joy with their ridiculous commercials
My neighbor runs a sari sari store. So I just walk up to their front door to buy RC cola. Lately coca cola, is getting scarce. But she never runs out of RC cola.
Also nostalgic if you grew up in Chicago. The pizza places always had Pepsi or RC, always got RC
Also nostalgic if you grew up in the Caribbean. I'd say it was more popular than Pepsi at one point though never really a rival to Coke.
RC has always been a popular regional brand in the American South, e.g., the traditional pairing of a Moon Pie and an RC cola as a cheap snack. I grew up in the South, and RC cola was everywhere in small towns and country stores. Also, yes, it's popular in the Philippines. I've seen it for sale there in a number of places.
It’s also a Chicago staple. Growing up in the suburbs we had places that only offered RC cola. Still do at some places.
I always wondered why grandma always had RC. She was born in Kansas but moved to Washington and everytime we'd visit her from Oregon she'd have cases of the stuff. She was the only one I knew that bought or drank the stuff.
The stadiums in Cleveland all sell RC Cola as their choice of cola.
Rc was in Indonesia for quite some times. Pepsi also already bankrupt here, Cola rules the higher end market while a lot of sode rules the cheaper ones. Many places won’t sell the cheaper variety because it would cut their margin. But smaller stores sometimes exclusively sell cheaper variety of Cola. My mom owned one and said RC outsell cola by a large margin. But I giess they no longer there because afterall you cant out cheap local cola without foreign liscencing
Even growing up in PA, my favorite snack was a MoonPie and a can of RC
I used to go to the local KOA in Clarksville Indiana to get a RC cola, jack links beef stick, and a swisher sweet. Roll up a blunt, smoke with the homies, and enjoy my afternoon 😊
I always viewed (without much thought) that if it wasn't Coke or Pepsi, then, it was pretty much some off-brand and you're taking a chance.
Even though my city is the original home of Coca Cola (and my dad’s favorite), sometimes I would consider any brand in certain situations.
Like, when the Coke in your local convenience store is 2 to 3 times the price that it would have been if it was in a grocery store.
That's how I ran into RC Cola. I was a little skeptical at first because it is usually about the cheapest cola in the store, but I was so satisfied with it and swore that it wasn't getting enough recognition a long time ago.
It got to the point where when I stop by a store anywhere, I would check to see if they had RC Cola...
The first time I tasted RC I thought it tasted like a cross between Coca Cola and Pepsi. RC with an Moon Pie is delightful. Also RC with Crown Royal is also quite lovely.
@Beaverish Buck Teeth topped with ice cream!
Royal crown with Crown Royal 😂😂😂
I always got Coke crossed with Dr. Pepper from it.
@Beaverish Buck Teeth didn't you know that soda is a sweet
It's illegal in Georgia to eat a moonpie without an RC cola ,I've been told
Only reason I know RC is because there's a certain Pizza place in Chicago that for whatever reason, they give you free RC Cola with your delivery. I don't know why RC specifically but it's interesting lol
I'm from the south east side. When the steel industry was strong, even into the 90s, RC was the #1 cola in the area. Every pizza place had it and at least 50% of every other bar/restaurant. Pepsi was #2
I may have an idea of what you are talking about
Probably because it's cheaper
bc rc is way better than coke
I drink RC over coke and Pepsi.
I remember growing up in Chicago in theb80s, most pizza places would give you a free 2 liter of RC if you bought 2 large pizzas.
Dude i love your book notes podcast FOUNDERS- you’re a top notch orator with a superb delivery. I always recommend your material 🤙
Same issue when RC came up with the vintage "RC Draft Cola" which was attacked by the other giants in the 90s as "marketing alcohol to minors" meanwhile, 25 years later, pepsi goes and creates "Caleb's Kola" and other throwback vintage beverage labels that look and market like a beer. RC was ahead of its time, always.
Oh God! Royal Crown Draft was the very best soft drink ever. I still wish somebody would revive it. It was a sugar cola when everybody else had switched to high fructose corn syrup.
@@antimuppet they sell rc cola in the dollar tree if you're a cheap Bich like me
You can get it shipped from New Zealand. I have some at my house right now.
Remember Chelsea? It was like a super mildly alcoholic Fresca. i think it was late 70's
Sounds a lot like what Pepsi is doing with Pepsi nitro. The flavor of Pepsi but with the texture of beer. I tried the vanilla flavor. It wasn’t good. I should really give the cola flavor a try before they phase it out.
In the early 1960's, pop cost 10 - 12 cents over the counter at a local little store. The Coke and Pepsi came in 12 oz bottles while RC Cola came in a 16 oz bottle. The price was the same around 10 - 12 cents each, but the added deposit was 3 cents for the 16 oz bottle and 2 cents for the 12 oz bottle. Still the RC cola was a better deal. We used to go out to vacant lots and check the trash cans for intact pop bottles. These often covered the cost of a fresh bottle of pop plus some candy, depending how many intact bottles were collected and the deposits redeemed.
The good old days...I remember redeeming bottles as a kid and getting sweets too🙂
Around where I live in southwest Virginia you can get an rc cola for 40-50 cents from vending machines that have them while Pepsi and coke are about 75cents to a dollar for the same sized can. Haven't found bottles of the stuff, but I can still buy 12 packs of it and 2 liter bottles, and their always the cheapest sodas not counting some off brand sodas
I remember looking for returnable bottles. Turning them in for the deposit money. Getting more sodas.
RC takes me back to fond memories of my childhood in the late 70s early 80s on the farm. Even then at break time you could either have a "big" RC or Nehi or a "baby" Coke Cola.
This is the first time I have seen an American calling it 'pop' just like we did as English kids. We always called them 'bottles of pop' from the 'pop man'. He would come once a week and you would get money for the old empty bottles. We never called it soda, is my point. (soda is what we mix with whisky 🥃)
It's not everywhere but definitely a great cola and still alive and well. A personal favorite of mine in the 60s-70s.
Im from Australia and when I went to the Philippines in 2011. There in a little shop was RC cola. I hadent had it since the 70's. I gave the shop owner a big tip.
The memories. My dad had a pop machine outside his gas station in the 80's and 90's that sold RC Cola, Diet Rite, Bubble Up, Cream Soda and Sunkist. I grew up on that stuff.
tell me you're from the midwest without telling me you're from the midwest
bam! you nailed the 'others' that i couldnt recall. "bubble-up" that killed me
What a horrible lineup
My Top Five: #1 Coke #2 RC #3 Dr Pepper #4 7-Up #5 Muggs
RC Cola was my mom's favorite drink many years ago. She drank it multiple times per day. I drank it too and liked it. Then it disappeared and Mom had to switch to Coke. Fast-forward to 2021 ... for the first time in decades, I saw RC Cola available at a grocery store. I eagerly bought some, took it home ... and it tasted so bad I had to throw it out. The stuff I drank in 2021 had the old RC Cola name, but definitely NOT the old RC Cola taste.
RC was the only soda my grandparents would buy when I was a kid. They bought it in 16 oz glass bottles. I drink it now because they're gone and it reminds me of them. The town they lived in had an RC bottling plant that also bottled Sun Drop, which is THE most popular "citrus drink" in the place they lived, even to this day.
Gotta be in the south
I'm Australian and I know Sun Drop because they sponsored IndyCars a few years back
South Carolina or North Carolina?
16 oz glass bottle and a pack of peanuts.. take the bottle back and get a nickel
@@barnes80 founded in Georgia
An RC and a Moonpie. Great southern cuisine! Used to buy them as a kid because they were bigger than Coke. My grandparents only had Diet Rite in their house because of health reasons. They were better than most diet sodas today. When my wife's company joined the Retail Clerks Union the " Me and My RC" was their motto. 😅
i used to live by this small family-owned diner that served RC. (i was about 7 or 8) just seeing the RC logo is nostalgic
RC was still a pretty big brand in the 80's, so I never really thought of it as an off brand. My family loved it.
I also think it's a false assumption that something "failed" if it doesn't overtake another product on the market. A local restaurant isn't a failure simply because it's not well on its way to becoming the next McDonalds. Businesses can be small and still make money for their owners.
It obviously still makes money or it wouldn't be produced. There's nothing wrong with being niche.
Almost every pizza shop in Chicago gave a free liter of RC with a large pizza. Its always been popular in Chicago so I never thought of it as an off brand either.
I agree completely, it's not a failure. It's just had a bumpy road. I think it was a bigger deal in pretty much every decade before the 90's, but the fact that it has never left the market tells you that it still does okay. It's probably more popular in certain areas of the county. I'm from the midwest and it was never popular around here as far as I know (although always available), but I've only been around since 1984. I will buy one on rare occasion. It's not bad at all.
it failed whenever it got bought out by snapple
that's like the graveyard of previously widely popular drinks that are almost irrelevant
I can still find RC Cola in my area if I look hard enough. My Grandmother was always an RC drinker. Faygo on the other hand, has completely disappeared from shelves here in New Hampshire, where as 10 years ago you could find it at quite a few stores in this area
you are correct in ur assessment that success doesnt have to mean infinite expansion, however in this economic system infinite expansion (in a non infinite resource world) is the only way to ensure profits grow (which is *The* goal of this economic system despite what it means for ethics or sustainability)
RC still sells hard here in the Philippines.. our main soda on local street stores..
It really is underrated.. especially after watching your vid.. Much love RC
Best part is that the subsidiary owner(Macay Holdings) is about to acquire the global (Non-US) brand rights too.
I was looking for this comment lol. Have to agree, RC is still being sold here locally
so does rugby cant keep jars in stock
As someone who's from the Philippines also, I have to say RC is still pretty strong here. Nowhere near as strong as Coke or Pepsi but not too rare either. They are usually sold in supermarkets or small stores. I bet they tried selling to restaurants too but Coke and Pepsi are just too strong there.
you misspelled Rugby@@ronch550
RC has been a favorite of mine for a long time, the competion is brutal. I hope it continues.
I remember RC colas in glass bottles in the early 80's. We would peel the rc cola wrapper off the bottle. RC and all the Nehi flavors were available in corner stores in glass bottles.
i would never say a legend such as RC cola failed, looking back RC was iconic
It Didn't fail..its just a attention grabbing that the poster OFTEN uses to get C L I C K S........
I think the word "Fail" is on the basis of market share which is what companies judge their success and failure on which is the whole point of "company man" videos. It didn't fail as a great soft drink or a cultural touchstone that is Iconic like you wrote.
I delivered RC back in the 70's we were always behind Coke and Pepsi in sales
What do u mean was I still drink it
We had an RC Cola machine at my high school in the early 2000s, well after the brand fell off. It was 25 cents cheaper than the Coke machine, and in my opinion, the superior cola.
did it's usage reflect those feelings? Was it empty at the end of the day, on most days?
@@vangildermichael1767 I want to know too😂
You could taste the savings.
@Daniel Stewart It fell off in the nineties? Really? I don't pay attention to what happens in the world, I always knew that. But, I guess today I learned I'm even more oblivious then I thought. But I thought RC cola fell off in the early eighties. There used to be an RC bottling plant in my hometown. And it closed up before Ronald Reagan. And that was like 1986 ish (I'm just going by the Challenger explosion. And that was 86 and Reagan). Back then pop came in long skinny bottles. When those bottles went away, I never seen very much RC. especially as a choice at restaurants. It, even today, is still not a choice on the menu at anywhere I've been to in, er...forever.
This world is rapidly passing away and I hope that you repent and take time to change before all out disaster occurs! Belief in messiah alone is not enough to grant you salvation - Matthew 7:21-23, John 3:3, John 3:36 (ESV is the best translation for John 3:36) if you believed in Messiah you would be following His commands as best as you could. If you are not a follower of Messiah I would highly recommend becoming one. Call on the name of Jesus and pray for Him to intervene in your life - Revelation 3:20.
Contemplate how the Roman Empire fulfilled the role of the beast from the sea in Revelation 13 over the course of 1260+ years. Revelation 17 confirms that the beast is in fact Rome. From this we can conclude that A) Jesus is the Son of God and can predict the future or make it happen, B) The world leaders/nations/governments etc have been conspiring together for the last 3000+ years going back to Babylon and before, C) History as we know it is fake. You don't really need to speculate once you start a relationship with God.
Can't get a response from God? Fasting can help increase your perception and prayer can help initiate events. God will ignore you if your prayer does not align with His purpose (James 4:3) or if you are approaching Him when "unclean" (Isaiah 1:15, Isaiah 59:2, Micah 3:4). Stop eating food sacrificed to idols (McDonald's, Wendy's etc) stop glorifying yourself on social media or making other images of yourself (Second Commandment), stop gossiping about other people, stop watching obscene content etc. Have a blessed day!
I remember the RC cola Dodge from the NASCAR truck series in the early nineties with the number 86 track by Stacey Compton very good paint scheme very beautiful🎉
RC was my favorite when I was a kid. Shasta, too. You used to be able to get a bunch of Shasta flavors in any grocery store.
An ice cold RC and a payday bar is a great combo! Both are highly underrated.
RC and a Moon Pie is even better.
Those were my Mother’s two favorite treats together when I was little :)
RC... AND A PAYDAY!!!
HELL YEAH!!!
R.C. and vagina.
I support this!!!!
In my city, I can walk over to the corner store and get a cold 2 liter of RC or cherry RC right now for a dollar. They're still around, and they're the go-to here for cheap pizza night drinks lol.
There really needed to be a mention of how in the 50-70s, the south pretty much adopted RC and a Moon Pie as an iconic roadside staple.
RC is the most popular combination with Moon Pie, but the best is Double Cola with a Moon Pie. Both of those brands originate in Chattanooga, TN.
That and Cheerwine.
@@phantomspaceman Yeah, Cheerwine might be the "deep south" thing maybe, but not neccessarily with the moon pie, not iconically anyway. Stretching all the way over as far as Texas, the "southern pair" is RC & Moon Pie. You'll hear it mentioned in much of the media of the day. Southern comedian Brother Dave Gardner cites it constantly. And the icon Thunderbird Motels today will have them waiting on your pillow for the roadside nostalgia. 🥤🌙🥧🤍
@@Cre80s Lewis Grizzard relayed a story about a man walking into a store and asking for an RC Cola and a Moon Pie. The proprietor surmised that he must be a graduate of [major rival to UGA]. The customer is incensed, asking if ordered pizza or beer would he be assumed Italian or German? The proprietor assured him that no, he would not. So then, the man asks, why am I assumed to be a graduate of [major rival to UGA]?
"Because," the proprietor explains. "This is a hardware store."
@@doktorventure9977 😏😂
It makes you wonder how cultural practices like these even form out of thin air and everyone in the region adopts them. It's not like they're owned by the same company and the thought was seeded with advertising. Nobody says "Mello Yellow & a Chick-O-Stick." There just MUST have been something to have at least sparked it, like a local filling station that had a promo, "free RC/Moon Pie with an oil change." This calls for some research!
When I was a kid back in the 60"s I drank RC Cola over Coke and Pepsi because RC had 12 Oz bottles to Coke and Pepsi's 10 Oz bottles. (20% more). Two Oz's may not sound like a lot but to a kid that mowed lawns to get the money to buy his soft drinks that was a lot.
Same here. Always picked out the tallest bottles from the cooler...
This is why I love Arizona. They give you a lot of soda or lemonade or whatever for a dollar. I saw a kid at a bodega, literally counting his pennies to get something, and when he saw the Arizona, his eyes lit up, because he knew he had enough for a big, satisfying drink.
same era, i collected the coke bottles from trash cans and picnic areas to return for the 2 cents deposits each.
@@thomaschristopher8593 Me too, I loved it when I found a 28 Oz. bottle they were worth 5 cents.
@@trublgrl Arizona green tea might be cheap diabeetus slurm...but it's my favorite cheap diabeetus slurm. Got me through college with no car. I'm real sad to see the accountants found out it doesn't make the CEO types enough money...it's almost completely disappeared from everywhere, including has stations. Used to be everywhere and today I couldn't even get a cold can at the grocery. Still at most drug stores though.
You could get the small bottles here in Newfoundland until the last few years and some outport stores still may have some.
I read on Wikipedia that in 2022 a Philippines-based company called Macay Holdings announced that it will accept 100% of RC Global Beverages. I wonder what happened after that.
I remember RC Cola machines always being 25 to 50% cheaper than Coke. I think that perceived cheapness is very much linked to the jokes we make about it.
Actually, the killer to diet sodas in the 70's and 80's was having to use saccharin which isn't as sweet as cyclamates and it gave most diet colas a bitter taste. I am old enough to remember what cyclamates tasted like and you would swear it was sugar due to it being that sweet. The new sweeteners they are using today seem to mimic sugar as well as cyclamates did.
sad to think it was probably just big sugar trying to say it was dangerous because it would ruin the market :/
Then later there was Nutrasweet which sounds like an identical story except it was banned fairly quickly.
Yeah, 80s kid here. I hated diet sodas of the time because of the chemical taste. And I remember in the 90s when all the major soft drink brands had new sweeteners and started desperately trying to change the public image of diet sodas.
Saccharin & Sucralose are still ruining drinks today. Tastes worse than actual sugar, and it's quite toxic (depending what one reads).
@@henryturnerjr3857 I used to love the taste of diet Dr pepper with nutrasweet. Grocery stores here still sell nutrasweet in packets.
The corner 7-11 by my folks house carried RC Cola (and other odd brands like Cheerwine and Red Rock ginger ale) . I can also remember seeing big banners at drag strips proclaming "RC is the RACER'S COLA". No idea how that promotion came about though.
I still buy RC cola today. After the price hike of the popular sodas in the last couple of years, it’s the best cola for the price. I can get it for .99 or 1.29 for a 2 liter. They have RC berry cream soda cans for $1 at Dollar General stores where I live. I don’t drink a whole lot of soda, but if I get some it’s RC more often than the others.
When I was in college, they had an RC machine in the dorm I lived in. The guy that loaded the machine would randomly tape silver dollars to the bottom of some of the cans. RC was already my favorite cola at the time, the fact that I could sometimes get a few extra cans for free made my freshman year bareable.
That guy was a marketing Genius! 🤠🤣
Bearable.
Awesome
Cap 🧢
@@christiansantamaria7233 I cal cap on your cap
RC Cola was hard to find, but when I found one, I bought it over Pepsi and Coke. It was delicious, similar in taste to Pepsi and Coke but with a little twist that made it different and I loved the logo and colours of their bottles and cans.
You must be saving a bunch of money.
@@kurtpena5462 Besides drinking Coke, I'm drinking Glup, a bit more sour than than Pepsi, Coke and RC Cola but still delicious
Supposedly. cola is a mix of vanilla, cinnamon and citrus. Always thought RC had just a bit more cinnamon than the rest.
@@Ease54 Yes, and it is very delicious specially when this fizzy drink is freezing cold!
I remember Diet-Rite! Haven't thought of it in ages, though! When did Coke come out with Tab?
This is cool rabbit hole if you start looking into it. Keurig Dr. Pepper owns RC now and is 3rd only slightly behind coke, but coke also sells dr. pepper in some markets. It's a strange deal.
One of the things not mentioned about Cyclomate, the study was partially funded by Coca-Cola and they were involved in lobbying for it to be banned as well, because Cyclomate had a deal that only RC could use them in a cola and coke was upset as they wanted to use it (they wouldnt have a diet cola till 1982). Pepsi also was involved in lobbying, and had also launched in 1964 their diet cola using saccharin, but had trouble beating RC. They saw an opportunity to shut down their competition as well.
Coke had a diet cola, called Tab, long before 1982... "Back to the Future" made a joke about it, when Michael J. Fox orders one at a soda fountain and confusion ensues over Tab vs. running a tab... The irony was that Tab was not that popular and got phased out by Diet Coke around the same time as the movie came out...
@@AndrewAMartin exactly, the difference is TaB had saccharin, aka Sweet n’ Low (the pink stuff) but Cyclomate was thought to taste better. Diet Coke was its first soda with Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal)
That's what happen when government has too much power, everyone will try to throw it at their competition.
The game becomes more and more "Please the Government" instead of "Please the Consumer".
why lobbying isnt illegal is beyond me its self interest trusted into governmental form .
@@pandaberserk3390 Lobbying is just words backed by money.
The term 'Lobbying' comes from the fact that Politicians would talk to people during their coffee break, in the *Lobby*, some of those people would happen to be people from industries or businesses.
You can't forbid people from trying to convince others through talking or incentives, else you might as well say goodbye to Capitalist Democracy.
In our country, RC is still well-loved by the consumers due to its affordable pricing compared to Coke. It has been the bang-of-the-buck softdrink of the generation.
I'm guessing your I'm the Philippines?
@@castlewhite1577 yes and this ad proves it ruclips.net/video/hXWj5BK7evM/видео.html
@@castlewhite1577 *What?*
@@datagrab I'm guessing you're in the Philippines?
@@castlewhite1577 exactly
My grandma was the only one I knew who always had RC Cola on hand, in fact I have a very vivid memory of going to see the Sandlot in theaters, and my grandma had snuck in RC-Cola and microwave popcorn in a zip lock bag. The movie only had three seats left on opening night, so they placed me in the front row and my grandparents were seated elsewhere throughout the theater. After the lights went down and the trailers started, my grandma stood up in front of the whole crowd to bring me the smuggled snacks and she cracked open the RC cola and the whole crowd lost it at this grandma's brazen refusal to pay full price for concessions and for being generally clueless and having a lack of discretion.
Bro RC is awesome. Growing up in Chicago most by the slice places had RC cola. A slice of Chicago sausage, hot pepper flakes, and an ice cold RC fountain to wash it down?
RC cola is a good mix between Pepsi and Coke, and always been my go to cola. Not a failure in any stretch
There used to be a grocery store when I was young called “knob Hill Farms” that only sold RC cola from its vending machines and I would get a can for 25 cents every time my mom would take us shopping, so rc cola has a very special place in my heart for sure lol
The barber shop in my neighborhood had a RC vending machine a long time ago.. I miss it
Knob Hill Farms I believe was bought out by Raleys/Belaire. We use to have 25 cent colas but they were Shasta or a store brand.
I would cry and ask for the .50 Cent coke. Those vending machines give me bad flashbacks.
I remember Knob Hill from the early 90's when I was a kid. Great store, great RC cola cheap like you said.
I know that RC cola is a major beverage company in Tajikistan and it is the only option in the stores soft drink aisle, so they are doing pretty good in smaller markets like Tajikistan, pretty much having a monopoly there
I remember RC cola, my grandparents used to have it in their fridge all the time, I don’t see it a lot anymore in stores
Maybe it's just me but RC is the perfect sweet middle point between Coke and Pepsi. I love it.
I love RC. We got it a lot as a kid, because it was cheaper at the grocery store. While it might be colored a bit by nostalgia, I still prefer the flavor of RC to the other two.
Never in my life drink RC cola before. Until a week ago and it tasted good
Very underated
It definitely has a different flavor from the other two.
I still prefer RC over Coke and Pepsi when it comes to taste. But RC Cola is getting increasingly more difficult to find in stores, at least where I live.
Back in the 90s RC was always the 2-liter (sometimes 3 liter) that my friends and i would buy from the corner store on our way to go fishing, and was a staple of camping trips and sleepovers. To me it was nearly as good as Coke but because it was under buck while Coke and Pepsi were usually $1.25+ it was a no brainer for kids with limited pocket money....
A lot of memories drinking RC as a kid. I usually buy a case every couple years. My hierarchy is Dr Pepper, sweet tea, water, RC, Coke, unfiltered tap water, Mr Pibb, off brand cola, cherry Pepsi, dog bowl water, dish water, toilet water, Pepsi
Loved RC cola growing up. Haven’t seen one in years.
RC hasn’t failed. It still exists, and as someone once said, it’s what keeps the big guys on their toes - it doesn’t have to be a 2-pop system. 🙂
Glen Quagmire said that lol.
@@vadenk4433 He’s not wrong though LMAO.
it’s also extremely popular overseas
@@Nabsolute_ Soft drinks.
@@papapookey8017 as a fin i really liked it got some around amonth ago for the first time
I remember years ago, the TV show, 60 Minutes had a segment called, ""Cola-Payloa" where they claimed that Coca Cola, and Pepsi secretly bought up the shelf space in many retail supermarkets, pushing RC off the shelf.
stop smoking crack and you wouldn't believe such nonsense.
They speak of this openly on Shark Tank today. The beverage companies exert a lot of control over the retail stores, controlling he shelves one way or another. They pay "Slotting Fees" for the shelves, and they leverage their supply rules. They say the reason that Coke & Pepsi have so many varieties is because they don't want other brands near their brands. They sell ten times as much Coke as Cherry Coke Zero, but the retailer HAS to take the Cherry Coke Zero in order to get the regular Coke.
@@trublgrl I don't drink soda any more at all, but I think I have noticed occasionally some places stocking their sodas by flavor instead of brand, so that would have all of Coke and Pepsi's products having the competitors' next to theirs.
@@nowthatsjustducky Then Coca-Cola hates those stores.
The Cabal has been very busy, for a long time! However, Nothing can stop what is coming.
When did RC Cola fail? Its currently 3 for $5 in 2L format at Harris Teeter or 2 for $3 at Giant... Its grouped with Sunkist, A&W and Dr. Pepper on the soda aisle...All 4 are great.
Call me cliche but I love an RC and a moon pie.
Then you've got the cocktail that was just made to go together. The Royal Wedding, where you mix RC with Crown Royal.
RC is pretty big here in Chicago, so I don’t really think it failed.
I was about to say the same it can’t be a failure it’s doing great here in Chicago
Eh they failed to going nation-wide/international market
I actually really like RC cola, I get it whenever I see it in a store. I wouldn’t say it failed, it’s just less popular than other brands.
A fellow tako sticks by their oshi no matter how popular ;p
I would've thought you only drank Dr. Oopsie
Nobody mentioned that more often than not, CC wouldn't supply small grocery stores that carried other brands, not officially of course.
My dad used to drink it when I was a kid but I wasn’t allowed to drink pop as a kid so I used to sneak a can or two. Great memories
Well, the coca cola company buy this rc royal crown and dismantled it from market.