Moon Pies are traditionally paired in the American South with RC Cola.
The combination became a recognizable Southern snack tradition: a Moon Pie, made from graham crackers and marshmallow filling, served with a bottle of RC Cola. Both products were inexpensive, filling, and widely available, which helped make the pairing especially associated with working-class lunches and regional food culture.
Moon Pies were created by Chattanooga Bakery in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1917. The company’s origin story says that a traveling salesman asked a Kentucky coal miner what kind of snack he wanted, inspiring a graham-cracker-and-marshmallow treat supposedly as large as the moon. The snack later became available in chocolate, banana, vanilla, strawberry, and other varieties.
The RC Cola connection became part of popular culture. A 1950s song by Big Bill Lister celebrated “an RC Cola and a Moon Pie,” and Bell Buckle, Tennessee, holds an annual RC Cola and Moon Pie Festival. Although people pair Moon Pies with many drinks today, RC Cola is the classic regional match.