Have you heard of dirty soda?

Although mixing soda with cream and syrups has been around for decades in old-school diners and soda fountains, the concept of dirty soda as a branded product took off in 2010 with Utah’s first dedicated shop. What began as a unique offering at a regional drive-thru joint has become a phenomenon, dominating people’s social media feeds over the last few years.

Dirty sodas are quickly moving from niche novelty to mainstream must-have. And to capitalize on the trend—which shows no indication of slowing—all you need is a sparkling water dispenser or soda fountain.

Embracing dirty soda is just a matter of investing in proper dispensing equipment compiling popular recipes and stocking up on different syrups and creams. 

Adding dirty sodas to your menu can drive revenue, attract new and younger customers, and help build brand awareness. Here’s what you need to know.

When Did Dirty Soda Come to Dominate Social Media?

A dirty soda is simple: as mentioned above, it is essentially soda mixed with cream or milk, and sometimes flavored with syrup or juice. Sodas like Diet Coke and Dr Pepper usually serve as the base, but any carbonated beverage from a sparkling water dispenser works too.

Some credit pop star Olivia Rodrigo with helping propel it into the mainstream in 2021 when she posted a picture of herself with a cup from Swig, a Utah-based chain widely credited as the inventor of dirty soda. The post got nearly 4 million likes. Dirty sodas also gained attention through Utah-based reality shows such as “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” and “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.”

Quickly, hundreds of articles attempting to explain the viral drink were published with names like “What Are Dirty Sodas, and Why Is Everyone Drinking Them?” and “Dirty sodas: The hottest new (NA) drink trend among young people.”

Dirty sodas ended up being more than just a viral sensation. Swig has expanded beyond Utah, opening locations across the U.S. Coffeemate has introduced a new dirty soda coffee creamer flavor, and fast-food chain Sonic added dirty sodas to its menus last year after a successful trial run at one of its experimental stores. 

Recently, Mountain Dew announced a new cream-flavored soda they’re calling Dirty Mountain Dew.

How To Incorporate Dirty Soda Into Your Business

Making a dirty soda is relatively straightforward, provided you have the right equipment.

First, start with a soda fountain or sparkling water dispenser. The foundation of a dirty soda is typically a carbonated drink. While you can serve dirty sodas by opening cans or bottles of soda, you limit your capabilities: you can’t offer as many options, and soda cans are much more expensive in the long term, which doesn’t allow your business to scale.

Furthermore, a professional sparkling water dispenser or soda fountain can maintain consistent volume and ensure the last dirty soda you serve of the day is as fizzy and effervescent as the first.

Then consider add-ons like different types of creamer (half-and-half and coconut cream are popular add-ons) and flavors. If you’re already operating a restaurant or food business, you likely already have some options to work with, such as juices or premade syrups.

A lot of the fun of dirty sodas for customers is being able to customize their drinks, so having a proper sparkling water dispenser allows you to build out a menu and play with different flavor combinations.

What Do Dirty Sodas Add To Your Business?

Dirty sodas aren’t just a fun new menu item—they can build revenue and help differentiate your business in a number of ways:

• Growth potential: Swig is one of the fastest-growing restaurant concepts in the U.S., and dozens of similar store concepts are emerging globally.
• Early adopter advantage: The Food Institute reports that only 2% of menus have dirty sodas, meaning there’s plenty of room to add the drink and still be an early adopter.
• High markups: A regular fountain soda costs about a buck or two, but dirty sodas can cost anywhere from $3 to $7.
• Customization = repeat visits: Because they’re so customizable, dirty sodas provide customers with room to experiment, encouraging repeat business by trying new flavor combinations.

Why Add Dirty Soda To Your Menu?

Dirty sodas are popular with young people, who have increasingly shown they’re less likely to drink alcoholic beverages than older generations. And unlike other social media trends, dirty sodas have endured.

Today’s customers are craving premium experiences—and with dirty sodas, delivering that can be as simple as installing a sparkling water dispenser.
Ready to ride the dirty soda wave? Explore Foxx’s soda fountains and othersparkling water systems to get started.