The Worst Diet Coke Copycat, According To Our Taste Test

Against the backdrop of rampant inflation and debilitating economic recession, the Cola Wars of yore rage on. For budget-conscious consumers looking to lower their grocery bill (and who isn't), off-brand sodas might seem like an easy avenue to shave off a dollar or two from a (painfully long) supermarket receipt. Still, diehard and casual fans alike know that Diet Coke is more than just a beverage. Those iconic gray and red cans have accrued something of a cult following in the modern market, inspiring non-food items from "I'm Running on Diet Coke" printed athleisure to home throw pillows declaring "I Need a Diet Coke" at Target.

Internet fans have famously dubbed Diet Coke the unofficial "fridge cigarette" – and it is in this spirit that we invite readers to indulge in a proverbial smoke break and consider the soft drink's impostors. In Tasting Table's ranking of five Diet Coke copycat sodas, Sam's Diet Cola fell to last place. It's ultra-affordable, but by our count, it doesn't get the job done. As our taste-tester noted, rather than a semblance of Diet Coke, Sam's Diet Cola "felt and tasted very much like slightly thick water that had been doctored up with too many packets of Sweet'N Low." In addition to an "off" taste, the mouthfeel was a similar letdown: "[A]s it hit my tongue, I immediately understood the flat taste that some reviewers online had complained about [...] there was no burn or tiny bubbles to be had."

The price is right, regarding budget-consciousness. Regarding quality, however, customers absolutely get what they pay for with Sam's Disappointing Cola, and by our count, its total inability to capture Diet Coke's essence does not make this wannabe-copycat a cost-effective alternative. At a Walmart in Chicago, a two-liter bottle of Sam's Diet Cola costs just $1.22, and a 12-pack runs for $4.46. The supermarket is practically giving Sam's Diet Cola away — as in, maybe if it's nearly-free, shoppers won't notice or be mad about how bad it tastes (ahem, we noticed).

Even the more positive Walmart customer reviews praise Sam's Diet Cola for its price tag rather than for any kind of knockout flavor. Shoppers write, "With soda getting as expensive as it [is]. I turned to generic but will buy regular brand soda when on sale," and "Tastes like a diet cola, but definitely not similar to any national brand cola. It is okay in a pinch, but it would take a while to get used to the flavor in order to make it my regular diet cola choice." Elsewhere online, a Reddit thread echoes, "I very much enjoy Sam's Cola. More than Coke? H*ll no. But it's good enough for the price of a 24 pack." All in all, Sam's Diet Cola might be passable if drowned in a back-alley rum & Coke, but certainly doesn't cut it as a Diet Coke dupe.