Is Mr. Pibb becoming rare in the Valley? (Phoenix: live, restaurants)

[Pink Jazz]

Note that I do prefer Dr. Pepper over Mr. Pibb, however, in the past, I used to occasionally see Mr. Pibb in soda fountains at some local (non-chain) restaurants. In recent years it seems that Mr. Pibb is becoming rare, with local restaurants either replacing it with Dr. Pepper or dropping it entirely. I remember ASU had Mr. Pibb in their Coke Freestyle machine at the Polytechnic campus.

The reason why you don't find Mr. Pibb as a bottled or canned beverage here in the Valley is because Coke has our local bottling rights for Dr. Pepper. With fountain drinks you will find Dr. Pepper with both Coke and Pepsi restaurants.

So, has anyone else noticed that Mr. Pibb is becoming rare locally?

[ShampooBanana]

#firstworldproblems

But no, I hadn't really noticed. Know what else is rare, though? RC Cola. The only place I can think of that has it in their fountain off the top of my head is Ike's Sandwich shops.

[JGMotorsport64]

Haven't noticed per se, but when I lived in Denver you could get Pibb Xtra more readily and easier. I actually like Pibb better it's more carbonated.

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by ShampooBanana

#firstworldproblems

But no, I hadn't really noticed. Know what else is rare, though? RC Cola. The only place I can think of that has it in their fountain off the top of my head is Ike's Sandwich shops.

RC Cola is readily available in 12 packs of cans in supermarkets, just not as a fountain beverage. Boulders is another place that I know has RC as a fountain drink.

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

Haven't noticed per se, but when I lived in Denver you could get Pibb Xtra more readily and easier. I actually like Pibb better it's more carbonated.

That may be an area where Coke doesn't have bottling rights to Dr. Pepper. Coke generally only markets Pibb in areas where it doesn't have bottling rights to Dr. Pepper, although here in the Valley you can occasionally find Pibb as a fountain drink, although the reason for creating this thread is that I have noticed that it is becoming rare in recent years.

[kitshipp]

I have seen it at the soda stations that are touch screen and have tons of different choices (like at AMC). Other than that, it's just Dr. Pepper.

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by kitshipp

I have seen it at the soda stations that are touch screen and have tons of different choices (like at AMC). Other than that, it's just Dr. Pepper.

Even many of the Coke Freestyle machines I have lately been seeing Dr. Pepper instead of Pibb Xtra at many places I have been to recently.

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

Note that I do prefer Dr. Pepper over Mr. Pibb, however, in the past, I used to occasionally see Mr. Pibb in soda fountains at some local (non-chain) restaurants. In recent years it seems that Mr. Pibb is becoming rare, with local restaurants either replacing it with Dr. Pepper or dropping it entirely. I remember ASU had Mr. Pibb in their Coke Freestyle machine at the Polytechnic campus.

The reason why you don't find Mr. Pibb as a bottled or canned beverage here in the Valley is because Coke has our local bottling rights for Dr. Pepper. With fountain drinks you will find Dr. Pepper with both Coke and Pepsi restaurants.

So, has anyone else noticed that Mr. Pibb is becoming rare locally?

Mr Pibb is only in very select few places, and is never offered in the stores.

My family in Florida has things like Pibb, Pibb diet even, and then extra flavors of Fanta, and so much more. Even speciality Dr Pepper out there. I don't know why the soda selection is so much better out east, it beats me.

[Pink Jazz]

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

Mr Pibb is only in very select few places, and is never offered in the stores.

My family in Florida has things like Pibb, Pibb diet even, and then extra flavors of Fanta, and so much more. Even speciality Dr Pepper out there. I don't know why the soda selection is so much better out east, it beats me.

At supermarkets and in vending machines, you won't find Pibb here in the Phoenix area since Coke has the local bottling contract for Dr Pepper, and that contract has a non-compete clause that prohibits Coke from selling Pibb in such areas. However, the non-compete clause excludes fountain drinks, which is why you occasionally see Pibb in soda fountains.

[Bondurant]

Pibb has always been available on a lower scale. I don't think I've seen it in a can since the 90s in MI.

[Colt AZ]

Dr Pepper has always been misunderstood.

Why?

Because some people believe it's just another cola. However, DP is actually made with cola, cherry, licorice, amaretto almond, vanilla, blackberry, apricot, blackberry, caramel, pepper, anise, sarsaparilla, ginger, molasses, lemon, plum, orange, nutmeg, cardamon, all spice, coriander juniper, birch and prickly ash.

In my totally biased opinion, Mr Pibb has always been just a Dr Pepper WANNABE. Therefore, I believe that Pibb is slowly disappearing...