Utah’s Dirty Soda Love Affair

Utah loves its soda, maybe even too much, but it's a staple here in the beehive state, almost as popular as fry sauce.  

Despite the push from just about anywhere to cut down on sugar and make water a more regular occurrence when drinking, Utahns have stayed true to soda. Dirty soda in particular.  

It's hard to drive anywhere and not see some sort of soda shop like Swig in any Utah city you go to. It’s basically a love affair for the residents.  

Back in the 2010s Utah lead the charge on making dirty soda popular, according to Eater. Since then, dirty soda has ingrained itself into the culture and stands on par with fry sauce as a local food/drink. 

What is dirty soda? 

Well, unlike a plain Coke or Sprite, you’ll find quite a bit more in your drink. There are creams and syrups added to make the soda take on a different flavor. This includes not just sodas but things like energy drinks.  

Utahns love to mix and match what they can. If you have a sweet tooth, this is the place to visit.  

However, it's not just Utah that made this drink popular. In 2022, dirty sodas became a trend on TikTok according to Eater. Olivia Rodrigo posted herself with a Swig which turned into a ton of videos featuring homemade dirty soda recipes.  

Since alcohol and coffee aren’t allowed in the LDS religion, it makes sense that Utah would turn to another drink and make it popular. Personally, anything with Dr. Pepper is good for me whenever I visit a soda place.