Abstract: An ice dispensing system for a soft drink dispenser employs a microphone adjacent a cup into which ice and soft drink are to be dispensed. The microphone senses sounds made by ice pieces dropping into the cup and converts the sounds to electrical signals. These electrical signals, characteristic of the masses of the pieces of ice dropping into the cup, are tallied during the dispensing cycle and the dispensing cycle is then terminated when the tally reaches a predetermined level, indicating that an appropriate compliment of ice has been dispensed.

Abstract: A syrup dispensing assembly is provided for a soft drink dispenser. This assembly includes a plurality of syrup supply sources in communication with a plurality of syrup pumps. Each of the pumps is interconnected with a common manifold connected at one end to a source of CO.sub.2 gas under pressure, and at the other end by a vacuum pump. Actuation of a valve allows the gas pressure source to pressurize the pumps for dispensing. Closure of that valve and actuation of the vacuum pump allow the pumps to refill with syrup from the syrup supply sources. The system can operate with any of various types of syrup supplies, as well as combinations of such supplies.