No trip to McDonald’s is complete without an ice-cold cup of Coca-Cola. If you’re prone to drinking Coke when getting food from McDonald’s, you’ve probably noticed that it always seems to taste better than Coke anywhere else. For years, the public has developed theories as to why: McDonald’s puts more syrup in their Coke, the food is so salty that it causes you to drink more Coke and it subsequently tastes better, etc. However, there is a much less sinister explanation as to why McDonald’s Coke tastes so darn good.

According to the food chain, the reason why their Coke tastes so good is because they store the Coke syrup in stainless steel containers. This better preserves the syrup than the methods used by their competitors. “Despite the speculation, there is no secret formula to our recipe. We’re delighted to hear that our customers enjoy drinking our Coca-Cola,” said a McDonald’s spokesperson.

“The water and Coca-Cola syrup are pre-chilled before entering our fountain dispensers with the ratio of syrup set up to allow for ice to melt,” McDonald’s explains via their website. “We also keep our fountain beverage system cold so your drink can always be at the peak of refreshing. There’s also our straw – it’s slightly wider than a typical straw, so all that Coke taste can hit all your taste buds,” they continued.

So there you have it! The reason why McDonald’s Coke tastes so much better than Coke elsewhere is simply due to things like proper storage, temperature, and even straw size. Although you don’t want to be drinking Coke every single day, you can rest assured that your occasional McDonald’s Coke hasn’t been spiked with any additives or suspicious ingredients.