Decline of the Soda Fountain

The soda fountain weathered two world wars and the Great Depression, and as America emerged from World War II and rationing, soda fountains were still a strong presence and were still found in most drugstores. Several things worked together to bring about the soda fountain’s decline. After the war there was a move from towns to the suburbs to newly created housing developments. Low-interest government mortgages allowed returning veterans to purchase housing, and people generally had money to purchase items, such as cars, that were in short supply during the war. In addition, supermarkets began to gain a larger share of ice cream sales once refrigerators and freezers were available for homes. Another factor was the rise of the drive-in restaurant, which began to replace the soda fountain to which everyone had walked as a social gathering place. The old-time soda fountain is now more a memory than reality.