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These days, Swig has grown to more than 140 locations across 16 states. So far this year, its same-store sales have risen 8.2%, according to the privately held company. The Larry H. Miller Company, an investment firm founded by the former Utah Jazz owner, bought a majority stake in Swig in 2022 for an undisclosed sum. "I think we're doing for soda what Starbucks did for coffee," Swig CEO Alex Dunn said. As Swig has grown, so have the number of chains looking to emulate its success. Rival soda shops like Sodalicious, Fiiz and Cool Sips are also benefiting from the trend. Coffee shops, like Dutch Bros., have also added it to their menus. And now fast-food chains are hopping on the bandwagon. "It validates that this is a category, and McDonald's and Taco Bell wouldn't be getting into it if it wasn't something that had broad appeal that they could sell everywhere, in thousands of locations," Dunn said. "It's kind of flattering that we created a category that now everybody is copying." For restaurants, adding dirty soda to the menu is easier than it might sound. "It's a custom drink offering that, one, allows the brands to leverage something that they already have right there: their soda machine," said Erica Holland-Toll, culinary director at The Culinary Edge, which advises restaurants on food and beverage innovation. "Two, it incorporates either a one-touch ingredient, or if they're already open for breakfast, it's quite likely that they've got a creamer in house." On the other hand, offering customizable coffee drinks is usually much more difficult — which has contributed to the struggles at Starbucks. "The espresso world — that's so much more complicated," Holland-Toll said. Dirty soda also has wide appeal. With less caffeine than coffee, consumers can drink it all day long. Plus, it's "much more accessible" than some coffee house trends, like an espresso tonic, according to Holland-Toll. The bright colors of many dirty sodas also make them more attractive to consumers, who were likely introduced to the trend via a TikTok video. But perhaps above all, dirty soda can help restaurants draw in customers who are otherwise feeling thrifty. "It's an affordable fun treat. You're not going out and spending $30 or $50, right?" said Sally Lyons Watt, chief advisor of consumer goods and foodservice insights for Circana. "It's something that people can walk away saying, 'Wow, that was yummy' or 'I feel better because I just had that.'"
