What happens when you pour coconut syrup into Diet Coke, add vanilla creamer, stir in lime juice, and top it with pebble ice? You get a dirty soda—a hyper-sweet, fizzy, flavor-layered drink that looks like chaos and tastes like nostalgia. What started as a caffeine workaround in Utah has become one of TikTok’s most viral beverage trends. Dirty sodas are everywhere: in soda bars, at home counters, on teenage Instagram feeds, and increasingly, on fast-casual menus.
Driven by Gen Z’s love of customization, maximalism, and short-form video, dirty soda has evolved from a regional curiosity into a full-blown drink phenomenon. It’s sugary, chaotic, and unapologetically extra—and it represents a broader shift in how young consumers are redefining indulgence. Welcome to the new soda fountain, where every flavor combination is fair game, and the dirtier, the better.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Trend name and brief definition | Dirty Sodas: Soft drinks mixed with syrups, creamers, and toppings for viral, dessert-like results |
| Main ingredients or key components | Soda base + flavored syrup + creamer or dairy alternative + fruit, citrus, or toppings |
| Current distribution | Primarily U.S. (Utah, Midwest, Southwest) but rapidly global via TikTok |
| Well-known restaurants or products currently embodying this trend | Swig, Sodalicious, FiiZ Drinks, Sonic, Dutch Bros |
| Relevant hashtags and social media presence | #DirtySoda #TikTokDrinks #SodaBar #SwigLife #DrinkTok |
| Target demographics | Gen Z, teens, tweens, TikTok users, nostalgia-driven snackers |
| “Wow factor” or special feature | Shock value, visual layering, playful retro feel, full customizability |
| Trend phase | Rapid growth, TikTok peak, entering mainstream retail |
From Utah Drive-Thrus to TikTok Fame
Dirty soda didn’t start on social media. It began in the drive-thru lanes of Utah in the early 2010s, where Mormon-majority communities sought fun drink alternatives to coffee and alcohol. Shops like Swig and Sodalicious offered caffeine-free thrills through elaborate soda combinations loaded with flavored syrups, fruit purées, and dairy.
For nearly a decade, the trend stayed regional. But then came TikTok. In 2022, a video featuring actress Olivia Rodrigo holding a Swig cup went viral. Overnight, dirty sodas exploded onto the #DrinkTok scene. DIY tutorials, tasting reactions, and wild recipe hacks turned soda into a creative canvas.
Dirty soda appeals to Gen Z because it is maximalist, low-cost, and made for customization. It feels nostalgic (think root beer floats and Creamsicles), but also brand-new thanks to wild combinations like “Coke + coconut + half and half + lime” or “Dr Pepper + raspberry + vanilla + heavy cream.”
Cereal Milk Dirty Soda! 🥣 (feat. #dirtysoda #fundrinks #drink #drinks #drinktok #olipop #cereal #cerealmilk #recipe #soda #sodashop pic.twitter.com/ucDHCyY2c6
— Joseph Anthonii 🤍 (@JosephAnthonii) May 12, 2025
Inside the Dirty Soda Formula
There are no hard rules, but a dirty soda typically includes:
- A soda base: Diet Coke, Dr Pepper, Sprite, Mountain Dew, root beer, or energy drinks like Red Bull
- Flavored syrup: coconut, raspberry, vanilla, passionfruit, cherry, peach
- Creamer or dairy alt: half and half, vanilla creamer, oat milk, coconut cream
- Acidic or fruity element: fresh lime, pureed strawberry, pineapple chunks
- Add-ons: pebble ice, whipped cream, maraschino cherries
The drink is served in clear cups with lots of ice and visually distinct layers—perfect for TikTok’s camera. It looks like dessert. It behaves like caffeine. It tastes like nothing found in nature. And that’s the point.
Soda Bars Are the New Milkshake Shops
Swig, Sodalicious, and FiiZ aren’t just soda shops. They are brands of belonging. Each one has a signature aesthetic—bright pink menus, pun-filled drink names, and drive-thru-only models for maximum TikTokability. Drinks are named like cocktails: “Drama Queen,” “Big Al,” “Beach Babe.”
Fast-casual chains have started taking notice. Sonic, long known for drink customization, has introduced more TikTok-friendly combos. Coffee chains like Dutch Bros and indie cafés are experimenting with their own soda menus, often adding energy drinks for extra buzz.
Soda bars are also becoming community hubs, with regulars developing “secret menu” orders and competing over the best flavor combos. It’s mixology, made kid-friendly.
Dirty Soda Meets #DrinkTok
The viral strength of dirty soda is inseparable from TikTok. DIY creators post short, ASMR-style clips with dramatic pouring, fizzing, and slow-motion ice shots. The sounds of syrup hitting soda, cream swirling through cola, and ice clinking in plastic cups are engineered for dopamine.
TikTokers like @sodagurl and @swigtok have built entire followings by rating combos and showing off new hacks. One popular video featuring a “pink drink dirty soda” with coconut cream and Dr Pepper has racked up millions of views. The format is simple, visual, and inviting: you can do this at home.
Is It Trashy or Genius? Yes.
Critics call dirty soda childish, unhealthy, or lowbrow. But that’s missing the point. Like many Gen Z food trends, it is about joy, play, and personalization. In a world of food anxieties and wellness metrics, dirty soda is rebellion-in-a-cup.
It satisfies the same urge as viral milkshakes, bubble tea, or rainbow bagels: maximal sensory experience, minimal pretension. For many, it’s a treat that delivers immediate emotional reward—a highly visual, instantly shareable indulgence.
And while its sugar content is undeniably high, newer versions are experimenting with sugar-free syrups, plant-based creamers, or functional additions like collagen or B12 drops. The next evolution? Clean Dirty Sodas.
The Future: More Than Just a Drink?
Dirty soda has legs. With its strong TikTok presence, nostalgic appeal, and low barrier to entry, it may evolve into a whole product category. Expect to see:
- Canned dirty sodas or mixers in grocery stores
- Soda flights and tasting menus
- Savory-sweet combos (think pickle juice, chili-lime, tahin)
- Functional “dirty” drinks with nootropics or adaptogens
In a post-Starbucks, post-milkshake world, dirty soda may be the next iconic drink for a new generation.
Feel-Good Fizz for a Viral Age
Dirty soda might not be gourmet. But it taps into something real: the desire for personalization, surprise, and simple fun. It’s sugary, messy, totally unserious—and wildly effective at generating joy. In the landscape of food trends, that kind of emotional clarity is rare. Whether it ends up on café menus or in your kitchen, dirty soda is here to shake things up.