I Tried The Viral Diet Coke Slushie To See If It Lives Up To The Internet Hype

We're bombarded with new viral food trends every day — but how many of them are actually something special? In our ongoing "Viral Verdict" series, we send intrepid food journalists to seek out and try the latest edible online sensations, and determine if it's worth braving long lines to get your hands on them.

One thing that will never go out of style is a new twist on a classic drink. From the Chick-fil-A Peach Frosted Lemonade to the dirty soda trend, it seems that there's a never-ending procession of new drinks to try. If you've scrolled TikTok or Instagram reels lately, you may have seen that the newest drink trend is a Diet Coke slushie. Across the country, and even in Canada, people are running to different establishments to get one of their own. Some people are even making the Diet Coke slushies themselves, if they're lucky enough to have a slushie mixer at home.

I wanted to try a Diet Coke slushie for myself, so I headed down to a place in the Soho area of New York City called Tender Crush. I had seen multiple videos of people on TikTok trying this drink, and with its adorable presentation and aesthetically pleasing vibe for a photo, I had to give it a whirl myself.

In essence, a Diet Coke slushie is a mixture of Diet Coke, ice, and sugar. Sugar is needed to help make the formed ice crystals that are necessary for a slushie, and many people and businesses use glycerin to help create the mixture in a machine. This creates that classic, frozen beverage feel, in this case with the flavor of a Diet Coke as the star of the show.

When I took my first sip of the Diet Coke slushie, I was incredibly surprised to see that it was sour. It seemed like it had a large amount of lime mixed in, and it almost reminded me of what it feels like to chew on a sour candy. Personally, I am a fan of sour things, so I actually enjoyed this surprise. As I took a second sip, however, I realized that I wasn't getting that crispy, super carbonated feeling in my mouth like I usually do with Diet Coke. It was as if the act of getting it into slushie form caused all of the carbonation to disappear.

I kept drinking, hoping that it would become more enjoyable as I went. Unfortunately, it continued to go downhill from there. I started to get a chemical-like, fake-sugar sensation on the back of my tongue, and it got stronger with each sip. It made the drink not feel as refreshing and fun as it did with the first few sips. Ultimately, I ended up throwing the drink away when I got about halfway done.

The Diet Coke slushie that I got in New York City cost me a whopping $12. Considering the fact that I clearly didn't enjoy the drink, and even threw half of it away, I would say that it was a complete waste of my money. However, if the drink was just a couple of dollars (or no more than $5), I'd say it would be worth trying just to see if it's something you'd enjoy.

Clearly, from all of the videos on social media, there are people out there who genuinely enjoy the drink. If you're able to find an establishment that isn't selling this trendy item for what the cost of a meal should be, then by all means, give it a try. As an extreme Diet Coke lover myself, I thought that I'd be happy with the choice to spend $12 on it — but alas, it truly isn't a drink I'd ever want to have again.