Odd fact about me: I can’t drink ginger ale. Not because I’m on a diet that forbids sodas or anything. Not even because I’m allergic.

It’s because I taught myself to be sick when I had it. See growing up, my mom thought of ginger ale as a good remedy for an upset stomach, so when one of us had the flu, she’d always go out and get some. But we never had it in the house otherwise, which meant the only time I was tasting ginger ale was when I was sick.

In a case of accidental Pavlovian conditioning, I came to associate the taste of ginger ale with being ill, and now I can’t drink it.

Maybe just as well, though, according to this video from TikTok user @sjrx_o:

“This is how we make ginger ale at my job,” she begins, standing at the soda fountain.

“So if y’all ever order ginger ale, this is what y’all gettin’, okay?”

A coworker in the background seems to protest, but she replies, “I’m just letting them know that this what the **** they drinking if they drinking ginger ale when they go out.”

After scooping in the ice, she pours about 9 parts Sprite into the cup…

…and then about one part Coke.

“Just let it sit for a minute. There you go.”

@sjrx_o

Don’t shoot the messenger pls 😭🤧 #fypシ #fyp #foryoupage #fypシ゚viral #jersey #smh #fastfood #themoreyouknow #tricks #tips #restaurant #work

♬ original sound – s t e p h 🍨

Does this actually trick anyone, though?

Also, why wouldn’t you just tell them?

Different ingredients do different things, it turns out.

Ice, ice, baby.

That last one doesn’t have much to do with the soda deception, I just had to include it because I was so baffled by the idea that anyone thinks that ice, which is, yanno, WATER, cannot be contaminated.

We have entire infrastructures to deal with that exceptionally common problem, bro.

If you liked that story, check out this video about a Dollar Store cashier who has had it with customers who argue over $4 products.