Marriott International is transitioning from a nearly 35-year exclusive partnership with Pepsi to serving Coca-Cola products across its 9,800 properties worldwide, a move that has reignited the long-standing debate among travelers over which soda is better.
The agreement gives Coca-Cola access to about 1.78 million hotel rooms in 145 countries and territories, and Marriott reportedly informed hotels that “The Coca-Cola portfolio is favored by more than 70% of Marriott’s guests.”
Reactions from travelers have been intense, especially on Reddit, where some guests praised the decision with comments such as “About time” and “This is the best news ever,” even admitting to choosing other hotel chains in the past because of “the no-Coke thing.” Others worried it might be an April Fools’ joke and urged that it “please don’t be a joke.”
At the same time, loyal Pepsi drinkers expressed disappointment, arguing that Pepsi has a “deeper portfolio of drinks” and that its products were a decisive factor in booking more than 100 nights a year with Marriott. PepsiCo responded diplomatically, stating that it is “incredibly proud of the 35-year partnership” and hopes to keep working with Marriott in the future.
Marriott originally switched from Coca-Cola to Pepsi in 1991 after Coca-Cola declined a requested loan of $50 to $100 million, which opened the door for Pepsi to secure the chain-wide beverage contract. The piece also situates the change within broader industry trends, noting that Coca-Cola has been exploring product innovations such as drinks with added protein or fiber to tap into demand for functional beverages, even as health experts caution that these offerings may still not qualify as truly healthy alternatives.
Reference
McGreal, K. (2026, April 8). Some Marriott guests tout Coke’s new move as “best ever” while Pepsi loyalists push back. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/travel/some-marriott-guests-tout-cokes-new-move-best-ever-while-pepsi-loyalists-push-back