In case you haven’t noticed, chain restaurants are in their dirty soda era. The fizzy mix of soda, cream and flavored syrup over pebbled or crushed ice is a Utah staple (if you watch Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, you already know) and has been steadily trending for the last two years. Back in 2023, searches were up by 40 percent after the drink went viral on TikTok. More recently, Taco Bell launched a Dirty Baja Blast that tastes like straight-up key lime pie, and Applebee’s released Dirty Fountain Sodas for a limited time. Next to hop on the trend is Papa John’s—and their take is equal parts tangy, spicy and...kind of ingenious.
Papa John’s Just Released a Spicy Play on Dirty Soda (and You’ll Never Guess the Special Ingredient)
‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ and chill?
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Published May 14, 2025
Papa John’s
Meet the ’Cini Dirty Soda, a tantalizing union of citrusy-sweet Mountain Dew and—wait for it—pepperoncini. Of course, you could easily score the necessary ingredients at your local supermarket to make one at home. But if you want to try your luck, you can enter for a chance to win a ’Cini Dirty Soda Kit, which contains everything you need to tackle the recipe.
Call me a purist, but without the dairy element, I don’t know if this is really a dirty soda as much as it is a mocktail or a cocktail base. However, I’m guessing this combination is pretty delicious. Mountain Dew has a sweet, lemon-lime flavor, which leans more citrusy than say, Sprite, IMO. (It’s a bit more complex and full-flavored, while the latter is crisper and more refreshing.) That said, I think pepperoncini—which are mostly sour, tangy and slightly spicy—would cut through the syrupy texture of the soda and curb its sweetness just right, making for a balanced final product. Think of it as an Italian-inspired spin on a Tajín-rimmed spicy margarita, sans tequila.
Curious about how you can snag a kit? Here are the deets: You can enter online any time before midnight on May 16. There’s no purchase necessary to play, but you need to be a Papa Rewards member to enter. The kit appears to come with an insulated tote bag, a jar of Papa John’s pepperoncini, special seasonings (which I’m assuming you can stir into the drink or use to rim the glass, along with a pepper garnish, obvi), a stirrer and a can of Mountain Dew.
Aren’t a Rewards member? No sweat: You can sign up online here for free. You can opt in or out of emails or texts with rewards offers and collect points with every purchase, which translate into more Papa Dough as they accumulate. You can redeem them for anything on the menu, plus score members-only deals from time to time. I’ll mangia to that.
