A ton of fast food to fast casual places offer it with meals so people just drink it. I usually get unsweet tea instead (no it’s not the tea you are thinking of). Mexico consumes the most Sodas and beats the US despite having a much smaller population.
Most people I know who actually buy soda and bring it to their home either don’t drink alcohol or coffee. Plenty of Indian’s drink tea and there are probably street vendors who sell sugar cane juice or fresh squeezed fruit.
Everyone has their vices. Lots of people chew Paan and betel leaf but you’d never hear about it in the US.
In Mexico, there's also the fact that soda is often the most easily available source of clean water. When I was in rural Chiapas and Guatemala ca 1992, I think I drank very little that wasn't soda during that time.¹
1. Because the glass bottles were fairly precious by local economic standards, soda would be served "to go" in a plastic bag with a straw and a rubber band to keep it closed.
Most people I know who actually buy soda and bring it to their home either don’t drink alcohol or coffee. Plenty of Indian’s drink tea and there are probably street vendors who sell sugar cane juice or fresh squeezed fruit.
Everyone has their vices. Lots of people chew Paan and betel leaf but you’d never hear about it in the US.