'Add pickles to my cola': The tangy combo taking over social media

"Can I get some pickle slices in my Dr Pepper?"

That line from a viral social media video captured a customer at a Sonic drive-in ordering exactly that — a Dr Pepper topped with pickle chunks. "If you like pickles and Dr Pepper, don't judge it before you try it," the poster wrote.

As pickles gain popularity abroad, their tangy flavor is making inroads into the soft drink market. Once a humble hamburger side, the pickle is now being consumed as a standalone flavor across a widening range of menus.

The Dr Pepper and pickle combination circulated online under the name "Dr Pepper Pucker" — a nod to the puckering sourness pickles bring to the drink. Sonic told local media that customers ordering pickle slices with their Dr Pepper had increased noticeably, though the chain said it remains an unofficial customization. Reviews on social media noted that the pickle's tartness pairs well with Dr Pepper's cherry notes.

Another video that drew attention showed pickle slices and brine poured directly into cola. British singer Dua Lipa posted the clip on TikTok, filmed at a barbecue restaurant in Austin, Texas, showing how to make the drink: zero cola poured over ice, followed by pickle brine and chunks, then a jalapeño on top.

The pickle's reach is expanding well beyond soft drinks, into snacks, nuts and sauces — products that borrow the ingredient's signature tangy, salty flavor profile.

FoodNavigator reported last November that pickle sales and sales of pickle-flavored products were rising simultaneously as pickles gained traction on social media. It cited Freestyle Snacks, which entered Whole Foods Market, as a prime example — the brand packages cucumber pickles into portable pouches as a ready-to-eat snack.

Other products to hit shelves include Pringles dill pickle potato chips, Planters dill pickle cashews and Heinz pickle-flavored tomato ketchup.

Pickles have even replaced bread. In October 2024, American sandwich chain Jimmy John's launched the "Picklewich" — a sandwich with fillings stuffed between two large dill pickle halves instead of bread.

Pickles are also appearing more frequently as a pizza topping. A recent analysis by market research firm Datassential found that pickles are among the vegetable toppings seeing the sharpest rise in frequency on US pizza menus.

The push to pair pickles with new foods has stretched from salty snacks to non-alcoholic cocktails and sweet desserts. Examples include a dill pickle Bloody Mary mix developed by V8 and Grillo's Pickles, and pickle cupcakes created in collaboration between Claussen and Baked by Melissa.

In a 2025 report, market research firm Innova Market Insights cited the pickle flavor's appeal as its bold, sharp taste and the nostalgia it evokes from familiar foods. The firm noted that the experience of rediscovering a known flavor in a new product is driving product development.

The pickle's rise is closely tied to a broader sour-flavor trend. Alongside pickles, vinegar drinks, yuzu and kimchi are among the sour foods gaining popularity. Earlier this year, US food and beverage publication Food Drink Life reported that sour flavors are emerging across restaurant menus and packaged foods. Market research firm Mintel also noted growing activity in sour-flavor product development within the British carbonated drinks market.

"Growing interest in new sour flavors, the spread of unusual combinations on social media, and the arrival of easy-to-eat pickle snacks are all broadening how pickles are being used," a food industry official said.