"Dirty soda" trend coming to Massachusetts drive-thrus as Dunkin' mixes coffee milk and Pepsi

The "dirty soda" trend is coming to drive-thrus all over Massachusetts as Dunkin' is now serving up its own version of the viral drink.

A dirty soda typically combines soft drinks with cream, coffee creamer or a flavored syrup. The "Dunkin' Dirty Soda" is a mix of coffee milk, Pepsi and sweet cold foam. Dunkin says the taste is similar to its "Dunkalatte," a latte that uses coffee milk, which is the official state beverage of Rhode Island.

Dirty sodas originated in Utah, home to a large population of Mormons who do not drink alcohol or caffeine because of religious reasons. That doesn't mean the alternative drink has any health benefits, however.

"Dirty soda should be looked at as an occasional treat, the same as cake, soda, sugary coffee drinks and any other high-calorie, low-nutrient food or beverage," registered dietitian Liz Weinandy told CBS News in 2024.

The dirty soda is not new to Massachusetts. The Fountain, an ice cream parlor and candy shop in Clinton, has been serving them up since owner Lauren Nanof saw the sodas blow up on TikTok and Instagram. 

Dunkin's dirty soda rollout comes a month after Health and Human Services Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. challenged the Massachusetts-based chain and competitor Starbucks to prove their high-sugar drinks are safe for young people, and suggested the Trump administration could put limits on those sugary drinks. Federal guidelines recommend that meals have no more than 10 grams of added sugar.

A large Dunkin' Dirty Soda has 68 grams of added sugar, according to the company's nutritional information, but that's not even the sweetest drink Dunkin introduced on Wednesday. A large Oreo Coolatta, one of several new Oreo-themed Dunkin' beverages, has 172 grams of added sugar and 1,050 calories.