Syed Ahmed’s longtime sweet tooth led him to open Chicago’s first dirty soda shop, Johnny’s Dirty Soda and Snacks.
Dirty soda — a customized iced drink mixing soda, flavored creams, syrups or fruit — has grown in popularity thanks to the Hulu reality TV show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” which follows a group of Mormon mom influencers. The show had fans eagerly scoping out what dirty soda combinations the stars were ordering.
“My younger self would’ve loved this,” said Ahmed, a Chicago native. “I’ve had like five or six root canals from eating sugar.”
Dirty sodas are a well-known aspect of Mormon, and Utah, culture. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prohibits members from drinking alcohol or coffee, making dirty soda an acceptable alternative for members.
U.S. alcohol consumption hit its lowest point in 90 years, a 2024 Gallup survey found. And Gen Z and millennials are spending less on alcohol because of changing tastes — not because of higher liquor prices, according to a February report from Bank of America Institute.
Chains like Utah-based Swig have been serving dirty sodas for decades, mostly out West. Now, fast-food businesses are getting into the dirty soda trend, too.
McDonald’s rolled out a new line of refreshers and craft sodas in May. The six specialty drinks include Dirty Dr. Pepper, with vanilla and cold foam, and Orange Dream, pairing Hi-C Orange Lavaburst with vanilla and cold foam.
Dunkin’ has come out with Dunkin’ Dirty Soda, which combines coffee milk with Pepsi and sweet cold foam.
And Taco Bell made its Dirty Sips — including Mountain Dew Baja Blast dirty soda — part of its permanent menu.
Ahmed discovered dirty soda shops on a trip to Arizona in 2024 — the year “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” premiered.
“I went to one of these soda shops, and I’m, like, ‘Dude, this is amazing. … I wish they had something like this in the Midwest,’ ” he said.
Back home in Chicago, he encouraged his family to get in on the business and opened Johnny’s with his sister Sheena Ahmed, brother-in-law Saleh “Johnny” Ewaida and Saleh’s brother Omar Ewaida.
The partners opened their Lake View shop in December at 1722 W. Belmont Ave.
Omar Ewaida said other businesses serve sodas, with some offering dirty soda options, but it’s not their only product. Ahmed said that’s a draw.
“Chicago has everything,” he said. “But we didn’t have a dedicated [soda] shop, and I think that [it’s] so super-cool for people that don’t drink coffee or don’t drink alcohol but still want something to drink and something fun.”.
Johnny’s has 18 customizable drinks, some coming in bright colors. The blue-colored Electric Slide is a mix of Sprite, blue raspberry and lime flavors with cold foam. My Leige mixes Dr. Pepper, cherry and vanilla syrup with a spritz of cold foam.
A 20-ounce soda is $4.99, and a 24-ounce drink is $5.99. Customers can add flavors, sugar-free syrups, creamers or edible glitter for 50 cents each.
A 12-year-old boy named Dominick, who declined to give his last name, stopped by Johnny’s with friends on his way home from school.
“I come here probably four times a week,” he said, and often goes for the Electric Slide or any Mountain Dew drink.
As the weather has gotten warmer, business has been picking up, according to Omar Ewaida, who said they’ve seen about a 50% increase in business recently. But he said people still lined up for the trendy drinks in the winter, which surprised him.
The shop also offers snacks from Japan, Korea and India.
The family plans to offer dirty soda catering for corporate gatherings and is looking into opening a second location by 2027.
“We feel like the summer’s gonna be insane,” Ahmed said. “We’re making a second whole working station because we know it’s gonna be busier.”