Whitney Leavitt – influencer and star on the Hulu reality show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” – can be seen dancing in a Panera Bread promotional video last October. In her hand is a drink that looks like it might have been an iced coffee, but it’s wasn’t. It was a dirty soda.
If you’re not from Utah or an avid TikTok scroller, you might not know about the dirty soda phenomenon filling up cups across the nation. That’s OK, we’ll fill you in.
“So, just to start, dirty soda is when you take a mainstream soda, you know, a Coke or Pepsi or another product, and add new syrups or flavors or heavy cream or half and half, just to, to really customize it and make your own,” explained R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at Palo Alto, Calif.-based foot traffic analysis Placer.ai in a recent interview with the Noon Business Hour out of Audacy station WBBM Newsradio.
Leavitt showed off the recipe for her favorite dirty soda in the Panera video. She started off with Dr Pepper, added half and half and mixed it up.
Hottovy explained that “dirty soda” is a trend that originated in Utah, where many people are Mormons, or members of the Church of the Latter-day Saints. Mormons are advised not to drink alcohol or coffee drinks.
In 2010, Nicole Robinson opened the first location of a chain called Swig in St. George, Utah, specializing in dirty sodas. It was a hit and by 2025 there were more than 100 Swig locations.
According to Eater, these sodas started gaining mainstream popularity on the social media app TikTok in 2022. That year, People magazine reported that pop star Olivia Rodrigo posted a photo on Instagram, another social media app, holding a cup from Swig.
This year, brands are jumping on the trend in full force. In February, Keurig Dr Pepper announced that it was launching the “Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut” flavor inspired by dirty sodas for a limited time this April.
When it rains dirty soda, it pours. Or it least it did last month. Not only did the new Dr Pepper flavor launch, but at least three other major brands made dirty soda-related announcements.
PepsiCo announced April 7 that it was launching “Dirty Mountain Dew” – it’s first ready-to-drink take on the dirty soda trend. McDonald’s then announced on April 28 that it was launching a new lineup of drinks, including the “Dirty Dr pepper” with added vanilla flavoring and a “cloud of cold foam,” on top. Dunkin Donuts issued a press release the next day touting “first-of-its-kind” dirty sodas featuring Pepsi as the base. Red Robin chain restaurants also offer the Coconut Coca-Cola Dirty Soda beverage served with cold foam and a lime wedge.
While these options come pre-mixed, Hottovy said part of the dirty soda allure is how personally customizable the drinks are.
“I think the idea that you can customize these… drinks and really put some creativity into it really lends itself to social media,” he explained. “And I think that has been a big part of the growth, not only of the product, but some of the change that we’re starting to see in this category, Swig in particular.”
There are some other aspects of the trend that likely have big brands jumping on the dirty soda bandwagon, Hottovy said.
“You have a cheaper product than most things you find at restaurant… [it] allows you to customize in the way you want, and for those who are interested, you can post it on social media,” he noted. Hottovy added that Pacer.ai looks “at foot traffic data for these chains,” and “the ones that are really innovating but also doing it at value prices generally the ones are succeeding in the environment.”
With reasonable price points and flexible options, Hottovy expects chains and brands to keep making sodas dirty for the foreseeable future.
