There is something about an old-fashioned soda fountain that makes you want to slow down.

Maybe it is the sight of a tall milkshake crowned with whipped cream. Maybe it is the fizz of soda water hitting flavored syrup. Maybe it is the cherry perched on top of a sundae. Or maybe it is simply the feeling of pulling up a stool and enjoying a treat in a way that generations of families did before us.

At Candy Town USA, our old-fashioned soda fountain is one of our favorite parts of the shop because it brings together two things we care deeply about: sweet treats and sweet memories.

But where did soda fountains come from? What exactly is an old-fashioned phosphate? Is a soda different from a phosphate? Where did the ice cream sundae get its name? And how did milkshakes become one of America's favorite dessert drinks?

Grab a virtual stool at the counter because we are taking a deep dive into the sweet, fizzy, creamy history of the American soda fountain.

By the time we are finished, you will know exactly what to order the next time you visit Candy Town USA in Billings.

What Exactly Is a Soda Fountain?

Today, the words “soda fountain” might make you picture a nostalgic counter with shiny stools, glass dishes, ice cream scoops, flavored syrups, and someone mixing drinks by hand.

Historically, however, soda fountains began with something much simpler: carbonated water.

Long before canned soda filled grocery-store shelves, carbonation itself was considered fascinating. European mineral springs had developed reputations for their supposedly restorative waters, and scientists began experimenting with ways to reproduce those bubbles artificially.

In 1783, Swiss watchmaker and amateur scientist Jacob Schweppe developed a commercial process for producing carbonated water. By the early 1800s, American pharmacists were experimenting with carbonated water as well. In 1819, American physician Samuel Fahnestock patented a fountain-style device for dispensing it.

As equipment improved throughout the nineteenth century, pharmacists began installing soda fountains inside drugstores.

That is where things started getting delicious.

Flavored syrups were added to carbonated water, and pharmacists discovered that customers were just as interested in enjoying the drinks as refreshments as they were in any supposed medicinal benefits.

By the late 1800s, soda fountains were becoming an important part of American drugstore culture. Smithsonian notes that drugstores often operated soda counters as a valuable side business, offering flavored syrups such as vanilla, ginger, lemon, and chocolate mixed with carbonated water.

The soda fountain had evolved from a piece of pharmacy equipment into a social destination.

And America was hooked.

The Soda Fountain Became America's Gathering Place

It is easy to think of soda fountains as simply somewhere people went for a drink. But historically, they were much more than that. They became community gathering places.

Before coffee shops occupied seemingly every busy corner, soda fountains offered a place where people could sit together, talk, cool off, meet friends, and enjoy something made specifically for them.

Through much of the twentieth century, both small-town and big-city residents gathered at local soda fountains and ice cream parlors. Many were located inside drugstores, and the counter became a meeting place for people of all ages.

• Teenagers met friends there.
• Families stopped after shopping.
• Couples went on dates.
• Kids celebrated good report cards.
• Businesspeople grabbed lunch.
• Grandparents treated grandchildren.

Sound familiar?

That is exactly the kind of simple, everyday memory we still love creating at Candy Town USA.

The fountain was not necessarily fancy. That was part of its appeal.

You could sit on a stool, order something cold and sweet, and stay long enough to catch up with someone you cared about.

In that sense, the classic soda fountain was a little like the neighborhood coffee shop of today- except instead of lattes and cold brew, the menu might have featured chocolate malts, cherry phosphates, ice cream sodas, and hot fudge sundaes.

Why Were Soda Fountains Often Located in Drugstores?

This is one of the most interesting parts of soda fountain history.

Originally, carbonated water was often associated with health.

People believed naturally carbonated mineral waters could have therapeutic benefits, and artificially carbonated beverages were initially marketed in a similar way.

Pharmacists began flavoring carbonated water with syrups- some simply for taste and some because syrups could make medicines easier to swallow. Smithsonian describes carbonated water as a popular nineteenth-century “medicine masker,” with pharmacists combining it with flavored syrups and various preparations.

Of course, many of the old medical claims attached to soda water did not hold up to modern science.

But something else happened along the way:

People discovered that flavored fizzy water tasted really good.

Eventually, the “medicine” aspect became far less important than the simple pleasure of sitting down with a delicious drink.

Pharmacists began developing their own recipes and signature flavors. Some of America's most recognizable soft drinks emerged from this environment.

For example, pharmacist Charles Alderton experimented with fruit syrups at a Texas soda fountain in the 1880s, creating the drink that eventually became Dr Pepper. The first Coca-Cola was also served at an Atlanta pharmacy soda fountain in 1886.

In other words, the humble pharmacy counter became something of a beverage laboratory.

That spirit of mixing and experimenting is still one of the most fun parts of a soda fountain today.

What Is an Old-Fashioned Soda?

Let us start with one of the simplest soda fountain classics.

An old-fashioned soda generally combines:

• Carbonated water

• Flavored syrup

• Ice

• Sometimes cream or another finishing ingredient

Unlike opening a bottle or can, a traditional fountain soda is mixed to order.

That distinction is important.

In the nineteenth century, soda fountains did not have rows of pre-mixed bottled beverages in every flavor imaginable. Instead, the person behind the fountain had carbonated water and different syrups.

You chose your flavor.

They mixed it.

That means a traditional soda fountain was highly customizable.

Want cherry? Vanilla? Chocolate? Something fruity? Mix two flavors?

The fun was in creating the drink at the counter.

Nineteenth-century soda was essentially the original craft beverage: customers could choose a flavored syrup and have it mixed on the spot with carbonated water.

And that made going to the soda fountain an experience rather than simply purchasing a beverage.

What Is a Phosphate?

Now we get to the drink that causes the most questions.

Someone sees “phosphate” on a soda fountain menu and asks: “What in the world is that?”

We love that question because phosphates are one of the most authentically old-fashioned soda fountain drinks you can order.

A traditional phosphate is essentially a flavored soda made with carbonated water and syrup, with a small amount of acid phosphate- traditionally a food-grade solution containing phosphoric acid and mineral salts- added to the drink.

That extra ingredient gives the beverage a distinctive tangy, crisp, slightly tart finish.

Think about the way a squeeze of lemon can brighten food. Acid phosphate serves a similar purpose in a soda fountain drink.

It does not necessarily make the drink taste like lemon or another citrus fruit. Instead, it sharpens the flavor, balances sweetness, and gives the drink a refreshing bite.

That is the magic of the phosphate.

What Is a “Soda Jerk”?

Here is another wonderfully old-fashioned soda fountain term. Historically, the person working behind the soda fountain was often called a soda jerk.

The name is generally associated with the quick “jerking” motion used to operate the fountain handles when dispensing soda water.

Despite how the word sounds today, it was not meant as an insult.

A talented soda jerk needed to know:

• Recipes

• Syrup combinations

• Proper proportions

• Ice cream scooping

• Fountain technique

• Presentation

• How to work quickly during a busy rush

And, perhaps most importantly, how to remember the regular customer's favorite drink. The soda jerk became part bartender, part dessert maker, part neighborhood personality.

That human element mattered.

People returned not only for what was served but also for the familiarity of the counter itself.

Enter the Milkshake

Now we move from fizzy to creamy.

The modern milkshake feels inseparable from American diner and soda fountain culture.

• Thick ice cream.
• Milk.
• Flavoring.
• Whipped cream.
• A straw.
• Maybe a cherry.

It seems simple. But milkshakes have changed considerably throughout their history.

Early drinks described as “milk shakes” were not necessarily the ice cream creations we know today. Over time, improved refrigeration, electric mixers, and readily available ice cream helped transform them into the thick frozen treats that became fixtures of soda fountains and diners.

By the twentieth century, milkshakes were firmly connected to American fountain culture.

And it is easy to understand why.

A milkshake is both: a drink and dessert.

That is quite an accomplishment.

Why Milkshakes Feel So Nostalgic

Milkshakes have appeared in decades of American popular culture.

Think:

• Chrome counters

• Red stools

• Jukeboxes

• Drive-ins

• First dates

• Family diners

• Two straws in one glass

• Whipped cream piled high

Even people who did not personally grow up during the height of the classic soda fountain recognize the imagery.

That is what makes nostalgia interesting. Sometimes we remember our own experiences. Other times, we feel connected to traditions passed down through movies, family stories, photographs, and shared culture.

A milkshake can do both.

A grandparent might remember ordering one after school decades ago.

A grandchild gets one today.

Different years.

Same simple joy.

Milkshake Monday at Candy Town USA

We love milkshakes enough to give them their own weekly celebration.

Every Milkshake Monday, milkshakes at Candy Town USA are 20% off.

For families, this is an easy tradition to make your own.

Maybe Monday becomes:

• An after-school milkshake stop

• A grandparent-and-grandchild date

• A reward after practice

• A little end-of-workday treat

• A reason to start the week with something fun

We also love featuring special seasonal milkshakes throughout the year, which means even regular soda fountain visitors have something new to discover.

Some people will always order their classic favorite.

Others immediately ask:

“What is the special this month?”

Both are exactly the right way to enjoy a soda fountain.

The Ice Cream Soda: Where Fizz Meets Ice Cream

If you cannot decide between soda and ice cream, the ice cream soda solves the problem beautifully.

Traditional ice cream sodas generally combine:

• Flavored syrup

• Carbonated water

• Ice cream

Depending on how the ingredients are assembled, you may get creamy foam, fizzy soda, floating scoops of ice cream, and changing flavors as everything slowly blends together.

That transformation is half the fun.

Your first sip may taste mostly like sparkling flavored soda.

A few minutes later, melting ice cream makes the drink creamier.

By the bottom of the glass, everything has blended into something entirely different.

It is a dessert that changes while you eat it.

Now Let's Talk Sundaes

If the milkshake is the drinkable star of the soda fountain, the ice cream sundae might be the spoonable star.

At its simplest, a sundae is ice cream topped with sauce or syrup. But we all know it can become much more than that.

A sundae may include:

• Hot fudge

• Caramel

• Fruit syrup

• Whipped cream

• Nuts

• Sprinkles

• Cookies

• Candy pieces

• Cherries

And the combinations are almost limitless.

That customizability helped make the sundae a soda fountain favorite.

Who Invented the Ice Cream Sundae?

This is where candy-and-dessert history gets a little competitive.

Several American communities have claimed to be the birthplace of the ice cream sundae, including Two Rivers, Wisconsin; Evanston, Illinois; and Ithaca, New York.

The stories differ.

One version from Two Rivers says that in 1881, a customer asked soda fountain owner Edward Berners to pour chocolate soda syrup over a dish of ice cream. According to local tradition, the dessert became popular and eventually began being served beyond Sundays.

Another origin story connects the sundae to Sunday “blue laws,” with soda fountains allegedly serving ice cream and syrup without carbonated soda to get around restrictions on selling sodas on Sundays. That story is particularly associated with Evanston.

Ithaca, New York, has especially strong documentary evidence. Cornell University describes an April 1892 dessert served at Platt & Colt's drug store consisting of vanilla ice cream, cherry syrup, and a candied cherry. A newspaper advertisement for the shop's “Cherry Sunday” appeared just days later.

So who definitely invented the sundae?

That debate may never be completely settled.

And honestly, we kind of love that.

America apparently loved ice cream with syrup so much that multiple towns wanted credit.

Why Is “Sundae” Spelled That Way?

This is another part of the story wrapped in a little mystery.

One popular explanation is that the spelling changed from Sunday to sundae to avoid religious concerns about using the Sabbath's name for a commercial dessert.

Another possibility is that businesses changed the spelling to distinguish their creations from competitors.

The exact reason for the spelling transformation is unclear, though variations of the word appeared as the dessert spread.

Whatever the exact reason, “sundae” eventually became the standard- and probably one of the happiest words on any dessert menu.

Sundae Sunday at Candy Town USA

We think Sundays and sundaes still belong together.

Every Sundae Sunday at Candy Town USA, you can enjoy a single-dip sundae at 20% off.

It is one of our favorite weekly traditions because a sundae naturally invites you to slow down.

That makes Sundae Sunday perfect for:

• A family afternoon

• A grandparent date

• Dessert after lunch

• Celebrating something small

• Ending the weekend on a happy note

Not every family tradition has to be elaborate.

Sometimes a scoop of ice cream with a cherry on top is enough.

Thirsty Thursday: The Perfect Day to Experiment

Curious about phosphates but never tried one?

Thirsty Thursday is an excellent opportunity.

Every Thursday at Candy Town USA, enjoy 20% off all old-fashioned sodas and phosphates.

That makes Thursday a great day to:

• Try a flavor you normally would not order

• Introduce someone to their first phosphate

• Bring grandparents in for a nostalgic sip

• Let kids experience an old-fashioned fountain drink

• Compare a soda and phosphate side by side

You might walk in with one favorite and leave with another.

That is part of the fun.

How Prohibition Helped Soda Fountains Grow

There is another fascinating chapter in soda fountain history: Prohibition.

When the United States entered the Prohibition era in 1920, alcoholic beverages became illegal to produce and sell under federal law.

Social habits shifted.

People still wanted somewhere to gather.

Soda fountains helped fill that role.

Soda fountains flourished during the 1920s, serving in many ways as the coffee shops and social meeting places of their era.

Instead of ordering a cocktail, customers might order:

• A flavored soda

• A phosphate

• A malt

• A milkshake

• An ice cream soda

• A sundae

The fountain became an all-ages place to meet.

That helped cement the soda fountain's place in American life.

Why Traditional Soda Fountains Declined

If soda fountains were so popular, why did so many disappear?

American life changed.

Soda fountain culture declined as commercial ice cream, bottled soft drinks, and fast-food restaurants became more widespread.

Convenience changed consumer habits. Why go to a fountain for a soda when you could buy a bottle? Why wait for someone to make a dessert when packaged ice cream was sitting in the freezer?

Cars changed where people gathered.

Fast-food restaurants changed dining habits.

Drugstores changed too.

Many removed their fountains and devoted the space to retail products instead.

By the late twentieth century, authentic soda fountains had become much less common.

Which is exactly why finding one today feels so special.

Why We Still Love the Soda Fountain Experience

Some things survive because they are efficient. Others survive because they make us feel something.

The soda fountain belongs in the second category.

Yes, you can drink soda from a bottle. You can make a milkshake at home. You can scoop ice cream from your freezer.

But the experience is different.

At a soda fountain, you get:

• The counter

• The stools

• The glassware

• The person making your drink

• The sound of the fountain

• The anticipation

• The presentation

• The opportunity to sit together

That is what we want people to experience at Candy Town USA.

We are not trying to pretend it is 1955.

We are taking something wonderful from the past and giving families a chance to enjoy it today.

The Sweet Science Behind Soda Fountain Favorites

Part of what makes soda fountain drinks fun is that they are little edible science experiments.

Carbonation

Carbon dioxide is dissolved into water under pressure.

When the pressure is released, gas escapes in bubbles.

That is the fizz.

Acidity

Ingredients such as acid phosphate can balance sweetness and brighten flavors.

Our taste buds react differently when sweetness and acidity are combined, which is why a tangy drink can taste more refreshing than an equally sweet drink without acidity.

Ice Cream and Carbonation

When ice cream meets carbonated soda, the rough surfaces and ingredients in the ice cream give bubbles plenty of places to form.

That is why floats foam so dramatically.

Milkshake Texture

Blending ice cream with milk partially breaks down the frozen structure while keeping enough ice crystals and fat to create a thick, creamy texture.

Too much milk?

Thin shake.

Not enough?

You may need superhero lungs to get it through the straw.

There is an art to the middle ground.

Pull Up a Stool at Candy Town USA

The American soda fountain has come a long way. It began with experiments in carbonated water. It became a fixture inside pharmacies. It evolved into a neighborhood gathering place. It helped introduce Americans to countless flavored sodas. It gave us milkshakes, phosphates, ice cream sodas, floats, and sundaes. It became part of teenage culture, family traditions, first dates, after-school treats, and small-town life.

Then much of that culture faded as bottled drinks and fast food became more convenient.

But the magic never completely disappeared.

And here at Candy Town USA, we are proud to keep a little piece of it alive.

Our old-fashioned soda fountain is a place to:

• Try a phosphate for the first time

• Order the milkshake you loved as a kid

• Introduce your grandkids to a sundae

• Share a fizzy soda with someone you love

• Discover a monthly specialty drink

• Slow down for a few minutes in the middle of a busy day

Because sometimes the best family memories are not complicated.

Sometimes they are simply two people sitting next to each other at a counter with straws in their glasses and whipped cream on their noses.

And we think there should always be a place for that.

Come Experience the Old-Fashioned Soda Fountain at Candy Town USA

Ready to taste a little nostalgia?

Stop by and explore our milkshakes, old-fashioned sodas, phosphates, sundaes, and seasonal fountain creations.

Remember:

🥤 Milkshake Monday: 20% off milkshakes
✨ Thirsty Thursday: 20% off old-fashioned sodas and phosphates
🍨 Sundae Sunday: 20% off single-dip sundaes

 

📍 Candy Town USA
1025 Shiloh Crossing Blvd
Billings, MT 59102

📞 (406) 651-9196
🌐 CandyTownUSA.com