Why was Pepsi free in 1985?
In Back to the Future, when Marty is stuck in the past, he visits a known diner from his timeline and asks the server about the phone booth and the address of Doc Brown. The server angrily asks him "if he's going to order something", to which Marty asks for a "Pepsi free" and the server replies "If you wanna Pepsi, you're gonna pay for it."
Why and how was Pepsi free in Marty's own time (i.e. 1985)?
Was Pepsi free during that time in the real-life USA?
Best Answer
"Pepsi Free" was a caffeine-free version of Pepsi introduced in 1982. This product would have been familiar to Marty in 1985, but unknown to a soda jerk in 1955, hence the joke.
In 1987, after the movie was released, Pepsi phased out the use of the name "Pepsi Free". It is now known more descriptively as "Caffeine-Free Pepsi".
(From r/vintageads)
In addition, a can of diet Pepsi Free can be seen next to Marty's clock radio in 1985.
Note that scene linked in the OP also has some wordplay on the word "tab", which can mean a running bill at a restaurant or bar but was also a sugar free soft drink introduced in 1963 (and is still around today).
Again, the scene plays on the differences between a word's meanings in 1955 versus 1985.
Pictures about "Why was Pepsi free in 1985?"
When was Pepsi Free introduced?
It was introduced, under the brand name "Pepsi Free", in 1982 by PepsiCo as the first major-brand caffeine-free cola sold in years.Is Pepsi Free still made?
Hi Christy, Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi has not been discontinued nationally, although local availability can vary.When was Pepsi Free discontinued?
Pepsi Caffeine Free is not permanently discontinued. There is a spike in demand for canned soft drinks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, there is a shortage of aluminum used for beverage cans.How much did Pepsi pay to be in Back to the Future?
Pepsi Perfect was sold in bottles that had a lid with a built-in straw. However, when Marty McFly had first seen the soft drinks container, he was perplexed as to how exactly he was supposed to open it. Dr. Emmett Brown had given Marty a $50.00 bill to purchase the soda.John Cleese for Diet Pepsi Free 1985
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