Why You Can Expect To See More Dirty Sodas And Custom Drinks On Fast Food Menus Soon

If you frequent social media, you've probably seen people posting images of delicious-looking dirty sodas. These drinks are really having a moment right now, and everyone seems to be offering up their favorite combinations of soda, cream, and syrup. In addition, more chains have been adding dirty sodas to their menus, with both Crumbl Cookies and Sonic adding dirty sodas to their menus since 2024 alone, and more brands are likely going to follow suit. This is because customizability is a huge priority among Gen Z customers, who are becoming more and more prevalent as their generation graduates from college and finds careers in which they have more disposable income. 

Dirty sodas are almost endlessly customizable; you get to pick the type of soda itself, add-in flavors, and even the type of add-ins too, as some use syrups, others creamers, and some use both. In addition, fast food restaurants can use new limited-time flavor offerings to draw in customers and keep them coming back for more. Not only do customizable options bring in customers but they also encourage them to spend more too. 

According to Food Dive, Megan Tallman, the vice president of Coca-Cola Freestyle and Foodservice Innovation, noted, "Consumers who purchase an LTO are spending more. On average, they're spending $3 more per trip." These extra earnings are especially prominent in the drinks category, with a Pepsi spokesperson pointing out customers are very willing to spend extra for customizable dirty sodas, even up into the $9 range.

In addition to Gen Z's love of customization, dirty sodas have become popular thanks to a few major influences. For instance, all the way back in 2021, dirty soda began trending on TikTok after singer Olivia Rodrigo posted a photo of herself drinking a Swig dirty soda on Instagram. Swig claims to be the creator of the dirty soda, serving them up in Utah since 2010. Soda shops became popular in Utah because the area has a large Mormon population, most of whom don't partake in alcohol, coffee, or tea as part of their religion. Dirty sodas arose as a tasty alternative, and eventually, the trend expanded.

In addition, dirty sodas enjoyed another spike in popularity with the release of Hulu's "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" in 2024, a reality show following several Mormon women who gushed about their love of dirty soda. Naturally, fans of the show eagerly ventured out to sample it for themselves as a result. In addition, dirty soda is a fun way for people to engage with one another on the internet. Users on sites like Reddit and Instagram post their favorite recipes or images of dirty sodas they've got, and others can then sample them for themselves and gush about their own favorite flavor combinations. 

It's the same reason why Starbucks secret menu items get so popular — people love to try new things and feel included in something special. In addition, the drinks are often colorful and fun to look at, making them perfectly shareable on social media. All of this means we'll likely be seeing more and more dirty sodas at chain restaurants.