where did the term soda jerk come from
Soda jerk The term 'soda jerk' was a pun on 'soda clerk', the formal job title of the drugstore assistants who operated soda fountains, and was inspired by the "jerking" action the server would use to swing the soda fountain handle back and forth when adding the soda water.[3] The soda fountain spigot itself typically was a sturdy, shiny fixture on the end of a metal pipe or other similar structure sticking out of the counter by several feet and curving towards where the glasses would be filled. All of the drinks were made of the unflavored carbonated water. Consequently, the tap handle was typically large, as a busy shop would have the soda jerker using it frequently. This made the mixing of drinks a center of activity at the soda fountain counter.