Pucker Up!

story by Grace Thompson | photos by Zelby Gloria | design by Alex Littman

Forget coffee, a new kind of drink order is bubbling up, and it’s anything but ordinary! 

The line forms before noon, a mix of college students, families and first timers scanning a menu filled with names like “Tropical Fizz” and "Berry Bliss". Behind the counter, a worker mixes soda, syrups, and cream into a layered drink that looks more like a dessert than something from a soda fountain. 

Dirty soda, a daily staple if you live in Utah, has quietly made its way into online platforms, creators on Tiktok, and Instagram, implementing the fun trend into their lives. Local small towns now adopt the trend and start incorporating them into their menus. Now you can ask for your soda to be “dirty” anywhere, not just Utah. 

From Culture to Craze: 

Dirty soda traces its roots to Utah in the early 2010s, where it emerged from the cultural practices of members of the Mormon religion. The religion's guidelines discouraged alcohol, coffee, and tea, leaving soda as an indulgence.

Entrepreneurs leaned into that gap. Businesses like Swig, founded in 2010, began mixing sodas with coconut syrup, lime and half n half, creating what became known as the “dirty soda”. 

“A dirty soda is a soft drink that’s been “dirtied up” by adding flavored syrups, cream, and sometimes fruit or candy toppings.” wrote Kendal Smith, a junior at Central Washington University and employee at Pop Off Mix & Sip. “Instead of drinking plain soda, it’s customized with extras to make it richer and dessert-like.” 

The drinks quickly became more than a substitute. They became a ritual. 

In Utah, soda shops function much like coffee shops elsewhere, gathering places where customization is key and regulars know their orders by heart. 

The appeal is simple: a base soda, a splash of cream, flavored syrups and endless combinations. It’s indulgent, customizable and importantly, social.  

For many, like Kendal Smith, a junior at Central Washington University and an employee at the Pop Of Mix and Sip soda truck, the appeal started young. 

“I lived pretty close to Maverik gas station.” Smith wrote. “So my friends and I would walk there in middle school and go make fun drinks.” 

These early experiences reflect how the culture around dirty soda often begins informally through experimentation, creativity, and social connection. 

Local Sips to National Fix 

For years, dirty soda remained largely confined to Utah and surrounding states. That changed with the rise of social media. 

In the early 2020s, Tiktok videos showcasing colorful drinks and creative recipes pushed the trend into the national spotlight. The hashtag dirty soda exploded, turning a local favorite into a viral phenomenon. From endless flavor combos to fun lime and cream add in’s, the possibilities are endless. 

“So the first time I heard about it was definitely through social media.” Addi Bomberger said, an employee at The Burg Coffee and Kitchen. “I would say, Utah was the one with their popularity, like chain restaurants over there that have them, like Swig.”  

Pop culture took on this trend even on reality TV, more specifically The Secret lives of Mormon Wives. Dirty Soda took off after the reality TV stars shared their drink orders from Swig making influencers on many platforms try their orders and come up with their staple concoctions. 

National chains began experimenting with their own versions, further cementing dirty soda’s place in mainstream food culture. The dirty soda growth reflects a broader shift toward nonalcoholic, customizable beverages especially among younger consumers looking for alternatives to coffee and alcohol. 

“A dirty soda is a soft drink that’s been “dirtied up” by adding flavored syrups, cream, and sometimes fruit or candy toppings,” Smith said. “Instead of drinking plain soda, it’s customized with extras to make it richer and dessert- like.” 

Taking it Local

While trends often target specific audiences, dirty soda is out for its broad appeal. 

“From working the past couple of weeks, I wouldn’t say these are really typical customers,” Smith said. “I’ve made drinks for people as young as 10 and as old as 60, so it’s honestly a pretty wide range.” 

Still, certain communities have embraced it more visibly, especially college students. 

“College students play a big role in our target audience,” Smith said. “Even with a limited schedule, many students consistently show up.” 

At Pop Off Mix & Sip, a mobile soda truck, that audience is evident. The business rotates locations, including regular stops near student housing and campus adjacent areas, making it easy for students to grab a drink between classes or on their way home. 

The mobility reaches far beyond campus.

“Pop Off also works local baseball tournaments, which helps us gain more customers,” Smith explained. “I’ve met a lot of people from out of town who were just driving through and found us.”

Because of the dirty soda’s popularity, the trend has been taken to a local level. Together, these businesses show how this Utah born trend has grown and reshaped in the Central Washington community.