Ice cream float variation of ice cream soda was available at local soda fountains and nationally, at Dairy Queen stores for many years. A similar soda made with chocolate syrup but vanilla ice cream is sometimes called a "black and white" ice cream soda. Also known as a "black cow" or "brown cow", the root beer float is traditionally made with vanilla ice cream and root beer, but it can also be made with other ice cream flavors. The similarly flavored soft drink birch beer may also be used instead of root beer. In the United States and Canada, the chain A&W Restaurants
Soda fountain and the United Kingdom. The term ‘fountain’ helps differentiate from, formerly, ‘machine’ coke as the fountain is a more recognisable term for the drink dispenser. A soda fountain is also referred to as a "postmix machine" in some markets. Any brand of soft drink that is available as postmix syrup may be dispensed by a fountain. The term may also refer to a small eating establishment or lunch counter, common from the late 19th century until the mid-20th century, often inside a drugstore or other business, where a soda jerk served carbonated beverages, ice cream, and sometimes light meals. The