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Regular Coke in a glass bottle is a cigar.
Lindsey Weedston
Gen Z’s version of the smoke break is having a Diet Coke, especially after a TikToker spread the term “fridge cigarette.” The popularity of the beverage is on the rise, and the viral new phrase led its fans to further celebrate the low-calorie soda.
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For the true Coke lovers out there, Diet Cherry Coke is coming back this summer.
Who called Diet Coke a fridge cigarette?
On June 9, TikTok user @reallyrachelreno started the trend with a video saying that she “overheard someone call Diet Coke a ‘fridge cigarette’ and nothing’s been more true to me since.” The footage shows her cracking open a can and taking a sip to the sound of Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer.”
@reallyrachelreno time for a crispy ciggy in the summer @Diet Coke #fyp #dietcoke ♬ Cruel Summer – Taylor Swift
The video gained 3.6 million views in a week and coined a trendy new phrase that must be thrilling the Coca-Cola marketing team. Commenters felt seen by the acknowledgement of what the drink does to them.
“A crisp DC just…*exhales*” joked @swadesinspades.
“This is my favorite thing I’ve ever seen on TikTok and it’s not even close,” said @jamie.erdahl.
Others were quick to compare different types of Coke to various cigarette brands.
“Cherry Coke Zero is my camel crush,” wrote @ycontrol3.
@reallyrachelreno Replying to @butythou okay but hear me out, cans ONLY: @Diet Coke @Coca-Cola @LaCroix Sparkling Water ♬ original sound – reallyrachelreno
User butythou said that “mcd diet coke is a Marlboro red,” prompting a response from the OP. To “clear a few things up,” she listed which was which:
- Diet Coke: Parliaments
- Regular Coke: Marlboro Reds
- Coke Zero: American Spirits
- Any other diet soda: Menthols
- Sparkling water: Stage cigarettes
- Full fat Coke in a glass bottle: Cigar
The Cigarette Nostalgia account on X spread the word there to mixed reactions. Some of those users would rather compare beer or at least iced coffee to cigarettes.
Diet Coke is making a comeback
Maybe it’s a recession indicator, or maybe people just need any form of stress relief right now, but Diet Coke seems to be surging in popularity, especially among the youth. It’s long been a popular drink, but it started to take over TikTok before anyone called it a fridge cigarette.
There are over 138,000 videos under the hashtag #dietcoke so far, any many of them are from 2025. TikTokers have been posting recipes using Diet Coke, bragging about drinking it in spite of health warnings, and practically making free commercials for the drink.
According to the Economic Times, Coca-Cola had been trying to push Coke Zero Sugar in the place of Diet Coke, but the trend was going in the opposite direction. They must have noticed, because now they’re bringing back Diet Cherry Coke for the summer. Instagram account @snackolator reports that it’s returning in retro packaging.
“It’s been years since the OG Diet Cherry Coke has been out so I’m really looking forward to getting it again,” they wrote. “This does not appear to be an exclusive release, but I’ll update as it arrives on store shelves.”
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