The Beverage Play
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. is adding Spiked Dirty Sodas to its permanent menu, positioning itself as one of the first national casual dining chains to put a boosted spin on the dirty soda format that has dominated social media feeds and indie soda shops for the past two years. The move signals a deliberate push to build beverage credibility alongside the burger-first identity the brand has carried since 1969.
The permanent lineup spans seven builds, pairing familiar soda bases with spirits from Malibu Rum, Jack Daniel's Whiskey, and Tito's Handmade Vodka, then finishing each with cold foam and garnishes. Highlights include a Coconut Cola (Coca-Cola, Malibu, coconut, lime) and a Vanilla Dr Pepper (Dr Pepper, Jack Daniel's, vanilla, cherry). For non-drinking guests — and families — Red Robin is simultaneously rolling out bottomless nonalcoholic dirty sodas, keeping the format accessible across dayparts and party compositions.
Holiday LTOs Through January
Layered on top of the core launch are three holiday limited-time offerings running now through Jan. 3, 2027. The Peppermint Espresso Martini uses Grey Goose Vodka with espresso and peppermint, topped with cold foam and crushed peppermint — a direct play on the espresso martini's sustained momentum in casual dining beverage programs. Santa's Little Helper Dirty Soda centers on Red Bull (original or sugar-free) with raspberry, vanilla, and club soda, with an optional Grey Goose spike. The returning OREO Candy Cane Milkshake blends vanilla soft serve, peppermint, and OREO cookies, with an adults-only Baileys upgrade available on request.
"When people think of Red Robin, they think of our burgers," said Brian Sullivan, executive chef and vice president of Culinary & Beverage Innovation at Red Robin. "Our new Spiked Dirty Sodas and holiday drinks are just one example of how we're taking inspiration from emerging trends and flavors people already love and creating drinks that are both approachable and unexpected."
Why Operators Should Take Note
The dirty soda format — a soda base customized with flavored syrups, cream, and add-ins — originated in Utah's independent soda shop culture before exploding into mainstream food media. For casual dining operators watching restaurant beverage strategy evolve, Red Robin's execution is notable because it integrates spirits into a trend that until now has been almost exclusively nonalcoholic in foodservice settings. By anchoring the concept in recognizable brand-name spirits and soda bases, the chain reduces the learning curve for guests while giving servers an easy upsell narrative.
The dual-track approach — permanent spiked builds plus seasonal LTOs — also gives Red Robin a tool to drive repeat visits and check averages during the competitive holiday dining window, without requiring significant back-of-house complexity. Bottomless nonalcoholic versions ensure the concept travels across family and mixed-group tables, expanding its revenue potential beyond bar traffic alone. With nearly 500 locations across the U.S. and Canada, the rollout's scale makes it a meaningful data point for the broader restaurant and hospitality industry on how legacy casual dining brands can activate viral consumer trends quickly and profitably.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
