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The slogan “follow the liter” was later developed to announce 7UP’s new packaging in 1-liter bottles. Soon afterward, every major soft drink label was selling their sodas in metric bottles.

In 1986, the Seven Up Company merged with the Dr Pepper Company, creating the world’s third-largest soft drink company behind Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

Now you can make a home clone for this refreshing citrus beverage in no time at all. Just add lemon and lime juice to a syrup solution, along with a little Kool-Aid lemonade drink mix for that special tang (thanks to included citric acid), and you’re almost there. When the syrup has cooled, you just mix it into some cold soda water in a 1 to 4 ratio. And that’s it. You’ve just made this clone of 7UP yours.

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon

granulated sugar

1 cup corn syrup

½ teaspoon Kool-Aid lemonade

unsweetened drink mix

1¼ cups very hot water

1 tablespoon bottled lime juice

2 teaspoons bottled lemon juice

11 cups cold soda water

1. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and lemonade drink mix in a medium pitcher or bowl. Add hot water and stir until sugar has dissolved and syrup is clear.

2. Add lime juice and lemon juice and stir. Cover and chill for several hours until cold.

3. To make the soda, add ¼ cup of cold syrup to 1 cup of cold soda water (1 to 4 ratio). Stir gently, drop in some ice, and serve.

• MAKES 11 10-OUNCE SERVINGS.

SONIC DRIVE-IN CHERRY LIMEADE

Here’s the signature drink from the chain that’s reviving the drive-in burger joint, just like a scene out of American Graffiti or Happy Days.

It was in 1953 that Troy Smith obtained the parcel of land in Shawnee, Oklahoma, that was big enough to fit the new steakhouse and root beer stand that was his dream.Troy thought he’d make the steakhouse his primary operation, but as it turned out folks preferred the hot dogs and cold drinks over at the root beer stand. So Troy did the smart thing and ditched the steakhouse to focus all his efforts on the other joint. At first he called the root beer stand “Top Hat,” but when Troy found out later that name was already being used, he came up with “Sonic” to signify “service at the speed of sound.” Today the chain is the sixth-largest hamburger outlet in the country.

This recipe makes a simple, old-fashioned drink by combining Sprite with cherry juice and some lime wedges. Use cherry juice made by Libby under the brand name Juicy Juice for the best clone.

12 ounces cold Sprite (1 can)

3 lime wedges (⅛ of a lime each)

¼ cup cherry juice (Libby’s Juicy

Juice is best)

1. Fill a 16-ounce glassfull with ice.

2. Pour Sprite over the ice.

3. Add the juice of three lime wedges and drop them into the drink.

4. Add the cherry juice and serve with a straw.

• MAKES 1 16-OUNCE DRINK (MEDIUM SIZE).

SONIC DRIVE-IN STRAWBERRY LIMEADE

Troy Smith isn’t the one who came up with the idea to use an intercom system in the parking lot so that customers could pull up to order, and then eat while still in their cars. He was inspired by another hamburger stand he saw while driving through Louisiana, and had the same system designed for his place. Troy’s borrowed concept survived the generations thanks to a menu of food with wide appeal. Today Sonic is the only major fast food chain still incorporating the nearly 50-year-old service concept. And just as in the 50s, roller-skating carhops still bring the food right to the car window so diners can stay comfortably seated behind the wheel.

This is a flavor variation of Sonic’s signature Cherry Limeade. This version is just as good, even with the minor inconvenience of little chunks of strawberry clogging up the straw.

12 ounces cold Sprite (1 can)

3 lime wedges (⅛ of a lime each)

2 tablespoons frozen sweetened

sliced strawberries, thawed

1. Fill a 16-ounce glassfull with ice.

2. Pour Sprite over the ice.

3. Add the juice of three lime wedges.

4. Add two tablespoons of strawberries with the syrup. Serve with a straw.

• MAKES 1 16-OUNCE DRINK (MEDIUM SIZE).

SONIC DRIVE-IN OCEAN WATER