“What would you like to drink with that?”

“I’d like a Coke.”

“What kind?  We have Dr. Pepper, Sprite, Diet Coke or Coke.”

For those born and raised in Krystal Country, the above conversation may sound familiar as most of us have grown up calling any brand of soft drinks Coke.

It’s typically not until you venture above the Mason-Dixon line or into the Midwest that ordering Coke in a restaurant will warrant strange looks as Pop or Soda are the preferred names for the sugary brown drink.

For those that travel, this can be extremely confusing.  What does one call it when they’re in say California?  Or what about Chicago?  And New York?

Thankfully we found this map over at SeriousEats.com that identifies what people call soft drinks by counties across the U.S.  You’ll see that Krystal Country is dominated by red states for Coke and the North by blue states for Pop. Apparently this map was created several years ago, but we have to image it’s still extremely accurate.

Click here for a larger version of the map.

With college football and NFL seasons in full swing, tailgating may top your weekend to-do list.  If it does, you’re not alone.

According to an article written by Charles Passy of TheStreet.com, “70 million Americans consider themselves enthusiasts of this ‘party in the parking lot’”.

In fact, the Associated Press recently reported that despite the economic hardships facing many Americans these days, football fans are finding ways to justify their game-day spending.  Some fans are opting to only attend conference games, while others have gone as far as to cut summer vacations in favor of 12-full weeks of tailgating bliss.

Here in Krystal Country, tailgating is a way a life (remember, ESPN’s Top Three Tailgating Scenes are in the Southeast).  And if you canceled your family’s summer trip to Disney World in favor of cheering on your team this fall, you may have some extra cash in your Tailgating fund.  If so, may we suggest checking out our Top Five Tailgating Gadgets and Gear Wish List.  Not that you need any of these items to have yourself a grand ole’ tailgatin’ time, but you know - everyone can improve their game.

5).  Magnetic Coozies: These coozies with magnets inside firmly hold full-bottles and canned beverages against any metal surfaces, like a vehicle or a refrigerator.  There are many styles and colors to choose from.  Some, in fact, even come branded with your favorite team’s logo.  For more information, click here.

4).  JerseyNaps:  Why use any old napkin when you can wipe the mustard from your Krystal burger off your face with a napkin featuring your team’s jersey?  There are over 40 NCAA teams to choose from.  Unfortunately, no NFL teams are available yet.  Check out Jersey Naps.com.

3). Hammaka Hammock Tripod Chairs:  These chairs are the perfect way to take a load off.  Not only does it set up on a tripod system, but you can also a purchase trailer hitch stand to use with your vehicle if you prefer.  Visit Hammocks.com for more info.

2). Pah Que’ Fiberglass Pole Tepee Outhouse:  With all the beverages you’re sure to consume while partying in the parking lot, inevitably you’ll have to use the bathroom at some point.  And nothing can ruin a good time like having to break away from the festivities to find a restroom.  With this Tepee Outhouse, you’re only steps away from your own private potty break.  Available at Amazon.com.

1). Cruzin Cooler:  Ok, this one is pretty self-explanatory.  If you drink enough of what’s inside the cooler, the ability to ride instead of walk may come in handy.  Plus, how cool is it to be able to ride around the parking lot as you mingle with fellow fans.  Gas or electric models are available, and its top speed is 13 mph.  Check out CruzinCooler.com.

You’ll probably notice we left grills off our Top Five list, and rightly so.  Who wants to cook when there’s so much partying to do?

So instead, we’d suggest simply heading to Krystal to pick up your favorite tailgating fare.  Not only is it delicious, but it’s something that’s  “…easy to eat standing up, that’s fast to eat; and keeps the knifes and forks to a minimum.” All very important tailgating tips according to this article over at TaledoBlade.com.

Jim Caple, a.k.a. The Road Warrior, of ESPN recently ranked the Best College Tailgating Scenes in the country, and topping the list are three colleges all located in the heart of Krystal Country - LSU (no. 1), Ole Miss (no. 2) and Tennessee (no. 3). Also making the list from the South was Auburn (no. 10).

So how did the Road Warrior whittle his list down to just ten with so many great tailgating scenes across the country? Well, some of the schools were selected based on scenic backdrops, such as Colorado (no. 9), others because of their atmosphere, like Army (no. 8), but one thing, and one thing alone, helped several schools make it onto the list, including the number one pick, and that’s food.

Yes, food is a tailgating differentiator that, as anyone who has ever tailgated knows, is just as important as team spirit and icy cold beverages.

But let’s say you’re not into hauling grills, smokers, various slabs of meat, cooking utensils, plates, condiments and more down to the stadium for tailgating purposes.  Say, perhaps, you want an easy, stress-free tailgating food option that still tastes great, will get you to the game on time and goes great with your favorite game day beverage.

It’s easy:  Krystal.

Think about it.  What could be better than a couple of Steamer Packs, some Chili Cheese Pups and Chili Cheese Fries on game day? Not only does it taste great, but it’s already conveniently packaged for easy, on-the-go, tailgating consumption.

So the next time you begin to prepare for the big game.  Put away the grill, tear up your grocery list and instead grab your cooler and head to Krystal.

Head over to the Road Warrior’s column for the complete list of the Top Ten Best College Tailgating Scenes in the country.

With noon rapidly approaching, soon it will be time for you and your co-workers to break for lunch.  And if your office, like ours, doesn’t have a cafeteria in the basement, everyone must either head out on their own or decide as a group what to eat.

For us this process usually begins around 11:30 a.m. then concludes an hour later with some unlucky person in charge of remembering everyone’s order as they run out to grab the grub.  Undoubtedly however, a co-worker’s order gets mixed up with someone’s sandwich having tomatoes, not on wheat bread or having the wrong side.

Now we know many of you are closet Krystal lovers and like to keep your undying love for all things small and square to yourself, but here’s a thought:  make your lunchtime routine easy by proclaiming your Krystal love and adding it to your office lunch rotation.

Think about how easy it is to pick up a couple of Sackfuls of Krystal burgers (some with cheese, some without), several Chiks, a couple of Pups and an order or two of Chili Cheese Fries - then voila - you’ve got the perfect office lunch. Everyone can pick and choose what they want, thus eliminating the inevitable whining that comes along with other take-out orders. Plus, think about how happy it makes you to indulge in Krystal, so we bet a couple of Pups will perk up even the grumpiest co-worker.

So the next time the “what are we going to eat for lunch today” question comes up (like in 10 minutes for those of us on the east coast), save your co-workers, and yourself, and say, “Let’s do Krystal today”.

So you may not be able to play Scrabulous on Facebook right now, or ever again for that matter, but we know something you can do  - join The Official Krystal Lovers Community.

There you can converse with fellow lovers of food items small and square, share your Krystal memories and suggest new ideas for menu items.  Whatever you want basically, as long as it’s about Krystal.

Plus, it will make you, and therefore your profile, look much cooler if you have Krystal listed as one of your pages.

So show your Krystal pride and join us.  And tell your Krystal-lovin’ friends about it too.

See you on the other side.

Here’s something I bet you didn’t know:  Krystal has its own web store.

That’s right, you can purchase what we like to call “Square Wear” online.

There you’ll find everything from T-Shirts that say “Go with your gut“, “Chik Magnet” and “Me so corny” to Krystal bike team jerseys.

Not only is it the perfect random gift for that Krystal fan in your life, but also a great addition to any T-shirt collector’s wardrobe.

There are tons of colors and phrases to choose from, so check them out.

To browse and purchse, visit krystal.com and click on the black Krystal baseball cap on the top of the page.

Are you a fan of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs?  If so, listen up.

The University has teamed up with Krystal to offer a Krystal Family Pack.  Basically, if you purchase four general admission tickets to all six home games, you’ll receive a $75 Krystal gift card.  That’s a $315 value for just $150.

Not sure you can make it to all the games?  Not a problem.  You can also purchase a half-season Krystal Family Pack.  This includes four general admission seats to any three Mocs home games and a $30 Krystal gift card.

We can’t think of better tailgating food than some Krystal Hamburgers and Krystal Pups - and even better if it’s free!

For more information and to purchase your tickets, visit gomocs.com.

One of the most common emails we receive here at Krystalist.com goes a little something like this, “My family and I love Krystal but we don’t live near a restaurant, so each year when we visit (fill in the blank) for vacation, we try to find a Krystal on our route so that we can enjoy (insert favorite Krystal meal).”

So with summer officially here and vacation season in full swing, we thought we’d share two great tools that can make planning out your road trips around Krystal locations a little easier.

1) Krystal Store Locator on krystal.com - At first glance, this looks like your typical locator however, look a little further down and you’ll notice a Trip Planner tab - this is what you want folks.  Simply type in your starting and ending address, then magically the locator tells you not only how to get from point A to point B, but where you can find Krystal restaurants in between.

2) Google Street View Maps - So you probably know about Google Maps by now (hopefully), but those great maps just got even better.  Now the maps offer a street view option that allows you to explore neighborhoods and cities virtually.  We find this feature particularly helpful because it lets you to look for specific landmark and landscape features that may help you identify your location easier.  Plus, it’s fun to snoop around in other cities.  The option isn’t available for every location, but if you’re headed through Krystal country, cities like Nashville, Houston, Atlanta, Jacksonville and Orlando are covered.

We highly recommend using these tools together. So as you plan out your summer vacation route, visit krystal.com to figure out your Krystal restaurant options, then plug the location into Google Maps and take a virtual look around.

Forget the drive-thru, what about a fly-thru?

The Krystal in Corbin, KY served as just that for several state contractors recently.

While the group was busy at work inspecting state power lines from the air, they noticed a Krystal below.

Doing what any Krystal lovers with a craving for all things small and square would do, the group circled the restaurant several times and landed their helicopter right in front of the restaurant.

Surprisingly, this isn’t the first fly-thru Krystal incident.  Krystal lover Jay Barr of Cape Coral, FL was inducted into the Krystal Lovers Hall of Fame last year after the company learned that Jay routinely flies more than 150 miles several times a year to pick up Krystal burgers.

Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do to satisfy your craving for Krystal!

Whether it’s a post about a delicious MilkQuake someone enjoyed that day, or a mention of how they’re surfing the web at one of our locations, we love reading what folks are writing about Krystal on their blogs.

It’s not so much of an ego thing, but more about the warm, fuzzy feeling we get from knowing that Krystal plays a role in people’s day-to-day lives.

Below are a few links to some blogs that have mentioned Krystal recently. We’re sure there are more, but these are just some of our favorites.

Enjoy!

A Krystal wedding surprise for the groom. Click here.

Hip NYC-based marketing firm loves the Reece’s Peanut Butter MilkQuake. Oh, and our blog. Click here.

Nothing is better than best friends, the beach and Krystal burgers. Click here.

Addicted to Krystal burgers and Chiks. Click here.

Staying at Grandma’s with no Internet. Thank goodness Krystal has free Wi-Fi. Click here.