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" "Do you know where 1640 Riverside Drive is?" he [Marty] asked, when the counterman finally looked his way. / "You gonna order something, kid?" / Marty shrugged. Why not, he thought, if it would get him some information. / "Uh, sure," he said. "Gimme a Tab." / The counterman sighed loudly, looked at him askance. / "You'll get that later." / "What?" / "I can't give you the tab unless you order something," the counterman growled. / Marty didn't get it but just decided to roll with the punches. "Then let me have a Pepsi Free." / "Kid," the counterman said, making no attempt to hide his growing irritation, "if you want a Pepsi, you gotta pay for it." / Am I slow, Marty thought, realizing he had been trying to buy products which had not yet been invented. "
—From Back to the Future by George Gipe (quote, pages 86 and 87)
Marty: "All right, give me, uh, give me a Tab."
Lou: "A tab? Can't give ya a tab, unless ya order something."
— Ordering drinks at Lou's

Tab was a brand of diet soft drink introduced in 1963.

History[]

On November 5, 1955, Marty McFly attempted to order a Tab from Lou's Cafe. However, Lou thought Marty wanted a restaurant bill also known as a tab, and said he couldn't give Marty a tab unless he ordered something.

After that, Marty tried to order a Pepsi Free, only to be told "You want a Pepsi, pal, you're gonna pay for it", and then asked for "something without any sugar", which turned out to be black coffee.

Behind the scenes[]

Appearances[]

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