Dr Pepper facts for kids
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A can of Dr Pepper as sold in Germany
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| Type | Soft drink |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Keurig Dr Pepper (2008–present; United States and Canada) The Coca-Cola Company (United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea) PepsiCo (the rest of Europe) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Introduced | 1885 |
| Color | Caramel |
| Flavor | Proprietary combination of 23 flavors |
| Related products | Pibb Xtra Dr. Wells |
| Nutritional value per 12 fl oz (355 ml) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 150 kcal (630 kJ) |
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40
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| Sugars | 39 |
| Dietary fiber | 0 |
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0
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| Saturated | 0 |
| Trans | 0 |
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Protein
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0
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| Vitamins | Quantity
%DV†
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| Vitamin A equiv. |
0%
0 μg |
| Vitamin C |
0%
0 mg |
| Minerals | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Calcium |
0%
0 mg |
| Iron |
0%
0 mg |
| Potassium |
0%
0 mg |
| Sodium |
4%
55 mg |
| Other constituents | Quantity |
| Cholesterol | 0 |
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Values for American version
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| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
Dr Pepper is a bubbly soft drink that tastes like a mix of 23 different flavors. It was first made in the 1880s by a pharmacist named Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas. The drink was first sold across the United States in 1904.
Today, different companies make Dr Pepper in different parts of the world. Keurig Dr Pepper makes it in the United States and Canada. The Coca-Cola Company makes it in the United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea. PepsiCo makes it in other parts of Europe. You can also find different versions, like Diet Dr Pepper and other flavors that came out in the 2000s.
Even though Dr Pepper might seem like a cola, the American Food and Drug Administration says it's not a cola, a root beer, or a fruit-flavored drink. They say Dr Pepper is in its own group called "pepper soda." Other drinks like Dublin Original and Pibb Xtra have a similar taste. Dr Pepper is one of the most popular soft drinks sold in the United States.
Contents
The Story of Dr Pepper
The name "Dr. Pepper" was first used in 1885, which was a year before Coca-Cola came out. Dr Pepper was introduced to everyone in the country at a big event called the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
A pharmacist named Charles Alderton from Brooklyn created the drink. He worked at Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas. He first let the store owner, Wade Morrison, try his new drink. Morrison liked it a lot! Soon, customers at the soda fountain started asking for a "Waco." Alderton gave his secret recipe to Morrison, who then named it Dr. Pepper. Later, the period after "Dr" was removed.
Early ads for Dr Pepper claimed it could help with digestion and make people feel more energetic.
The Secret Recipe
Just like the recipe for Coca-Cola, the Dr Pepper formula is a big secret. It's said that the recipe is kept in two separate parts in safe deposit boxes in different banks in Dallas.
For a long time, people have rumored that Dr Pepper contains prune juice. This rumor started in the 1930s. However, the official Dr Pepper website says this is not true. They say Dr Pepper is a special mix of natural and artificial flavors. No one knows for sure how the rumor started. Some think a delivery person from a rival company spread it. Others think it's just because some people think Dr Pepper tastes a bit like prune juice.
In 2009, an old book with recipes was found in Texas. It seemed to come from the same drug store where Dr Pepper was first made. One recipe was called "Dr Peppers Pepsin Bitters." Some people thought it might be an early version of Dr Pepper. But Keurig Dr Pepper says it was just a recipe for a digestive aid, not the drink itself.
Why the Name "Dr"?
There are many ideas about how Dr Pepper got its name. One idea is that back when the drink was created, people often put "Dr." in product names. This made products seem healthy or good for you.
Another popular story says the drink was named after a real doctor, Charles T. Pepper from Rural Retreat, Virginia. The story goes that Morrison named the drink after the doctor because Dr. Pepper gave him his first job. However, records show that Morrison lived far away from Rural Retreat and there's no proof he ever worked for Dr. Pepper. Another tale says Morrison named it after the doctor because he allowed Morrison to marry his daughter. But the daughter was only eight years old when Morrison moved to Waco, so that story isn't true either.
The period (full stop) after "Dr" was used in Dr Pepper logos until the 1950s. After some discussion, it was removed for good to make the logo look better and be easier to read.
Dr Pepper's Business Journey
In 1951, Dr Pepper took The Coca-Cola Company to court. They said that Coca-Cola was selling small Cokes too cheaply, which was unfair to other companies.
Because Dr Pepper was officially called a "non-cola" drink, the company's CEO, W. W. "Foots" Clements, convinced the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of New York to bottle and sell Dr Pepper in the New York metropolitan area in 1969. This was a big deal because that company was the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the world.
In 1972, Dr Pepper sued Coca-Cola again. This time, it was because Coca-Cola had a drink called "Peppo," which sounded too much like Dr Pepper. Coca-Cola then changed their drink's name to Mr. Pibb.
In the early 1980s, Dr Pepper faced financial trouble. An investment group bought the company to help it. Later, Coca-Cola tried to buy Dr Pepper, but the government's Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stopped them. Around the same time, 7 Up was also bought by the same investment company that owned Dr Pepper. When the Coca-Cola deal failed, Dr Pepper and 7 Up joined together to form Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. (DPSU). Because of this merger, Coca-Cola got most of the rights to the Dr Pepper name outside the US, and PepsiCo got the 7 Up rights.
In the 1990s, Dr Pepper was often part of discussions about fair business practices in the United States. Experts and courts agreed that Dr Pepper is a "pepper" flavored drink, not a "cola." In 1995, the FTC stopped a merger between The Coca-Cola Company and Dr Pepper. They were worried it would create a monopoly in the "pepper" flavor category.
In 1995, a company called Cadbury Schweppes bought Dr Pepper/Seven Up. In 2008, Cadbury Schweppes separated its American beverage business into a new company called the Dr Pepper Snapple Group. Cadbury Schweppes then changed its name to Cadbury plc. On July 9, 2018, Keurig bought the Dr Pepper Snapple Group. The new combined company was named "Keurig Dr Pepper."
Different Dr Pepper Flavors
Dr Pepper comes in many different flavors and types, especially in North America and Europe.
North American Flavors
Regular Flavors
| Name | Year launched |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine Free Dr. Pepper | 1983 | This is Dr. Pepper without caffeine. It was released after its diet version, Pepper Free, became popular. |
| Dr Pepper Red Fusion | 2002 | A red, cherry-flavored Dr Pepper. It was the first new flavor in 122 years! It was part of a trend of new flavors, but it didn't sell well and was stopped in 2004. |
| Dr Pepper Cherry Vanilla | 2004 | This flavor tastes like cherry and vanilla. It was meant to be the first in a line of "Soda Fountain Classics" that tasted like old-fashioned soda shop drinks. Now, you can only find it in certain places. |
| Dr Pepper Berries and Cream | 2006, 2022 | A berry cream-flavored drink. It was released in 2006 but stopped due to low sales. It came back for a special event in 2022. |
| Dr Pepper Cherry | 2009 | This version has a stronger cherry flavor than regular Dr Pepper. |
| Heritage Dr Pepper | 2009 | This Dr Pepper was made with real sugar, like the original recipe before they started using high fructose corn syrup in the 1970s. It was a limited-time offer. |
| Dr Pepper Made with Real Sugar | 2010 | This sugar-sweetened version became a permanent flavor in 2010 to celebrate Dr Pepper's 125th anniversary. It replaced Heritage Dr Pepper. |
| Dr Pepper Ten | 2011 | This drink had only ten calories per serving. Its ads were aimed at boys and men, with slogans like "It's Not for Women." It was stopped in 2018 because it didn't sell well. |
| Dr Pepper Vanilla Float | 2014 | This flavor tastes like vanilla ice cream. It was a limited edition for summer 2014 and has been sold again sometimes since then. |
| Dr Pepper Dark Berry | 2019, 2022 | A limited-edition berry flavor released to promote movies like Spider-Man: Far From Home and Jurassic World: Dominion. |
| Dr Pepper & Cream Soda | 2020 | This flavor combines Dr Pepper with cream soda. |
| Dr Pepper Strawberries and Cream | 2023 | A strawberry cream-flavored Dr Pepper. It started as a special Valentine's Day drink but became a permanent flavor. |
| Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut | 2024 | A coconut-flavored Dr Pepper. It was a limited edition for summer 2024. |
| Dr Pepper Blackberry | 2025 | A blackberry-flavored Dr Pepper that became a permanent flavor in February 2025. |
Diet Flavors
| Name | Year launched |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Diet Dr. Pepper | 1962 (cans), 1963 (bottles) |
This is the low-calorie version of Dr. Pepper. It was first called "Dietary Dr. Pepper," then "Sugar Free Dr. Pepper," and finally "Diet Dr Pepper" in 1987. It became a top-selling diet soda. |
| Caffeine Free Diet Dr. Pepper | 1982 | This is Diet Dr. Pepper without caffeine. It was first called Pepper Free but that name was stopped in 1985. |
| Diet Dr Pepper Cherry Vanilla | 2004 | The low-calorie version of Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper. It's sold in limited areas. |
| Diet Dr Pepper Berries and Cream | 2006 | The low-calorie version of Dr Pepper Berries and Cream. It was sold and stopped at the same time as the regular version. |
| Diet Cherry Chocolate Dr Pepper | 2007 | A low-calorie cherry and chocolate flavored Dr Pepper. It was a limited edition and only came out as a diet version. |
| Diet Dr Pepper Cherry | 2009 | The low-calorie version of Dr Pepper Cherry. It was stopped in 2021 and replaced with a Zero Sugar version. |
| Diet Dr Pepper & Cream Soda | 2020 | The low-calorie version of Dr Pepper Cream Soda. It was stopped in 2021 and replaced with a Zero Sugar version. |
Zero Sugar Flavors
| Name | Year launched |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Pepper Zero Sugar | 2021 | A low-calorie Dr Pepper designed to taste even more like the original. |
| Dr Pepper Cherry Zero Sugar | 2021 | A low-calorie version of Dr Pepper Cherry that tastes more like the original. It replaced the Diet Cherry version. |
| Dr Pepper & Cream Soda Zero Sugar | 2021 | A low-calorie version of Dr Pepper and Cream Soda that tastes more like the original. It replaced the Diet Cream Soda version. |
| Dr Pepper Strawberries and Cream Zero Sugar | 2023 | A low-calorie version of Dr. Pepper Strawberries and Cream. |
| Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut Zero Sugar | 2024 | A low-calorie version of Dr. Pepper Creamy Coconut. It was a limited edition for the summer. |
| Dr Pepper Blackberry Zero Sugar | 2025 | A low-calorie version of Dr Pepper Blackberry. |
European Flavors
| Name | Country | Year launched |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Pepper | United Kingdom | 1982 | The UK version of Dr Pepper is made with sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. The amount of sugar has been reduced over the years due to taxes on sugary drinks. |
| Dr Pepper Zero | United Kingdom | 1986 | This is the low-calorie version of British Dr Pepper. It was first called Diet Dr Pepper and then Dr Pepper Z before its current name. |
| Dr Pepper | Germany The Netherlands Poland |
1980s | The Dr Pepper in these countries uses a different formula with artificial sweeteners and less sugar than the original UK version. |
| Dr Pepper Cherry | Germany Poland |
2016 2020s (Poland) |
A cherry-flavored Dr Pepper that also contains artificial sweeteners. |
| Dr Pepper Energy | Germany Poland |
2017 | An energy drink version of Dr Pepper with extra caffeine and taurine. This one does not have artificial sweeteners. |
| Dr Pepper Zero Sugar | Germany | 2016 | A zero sugar version of Dr Pepper, sweetened with artificial sweeteners. |
| Dr Pepper Vanilla Float | Germany Poland |
2022 | A vanilla-flavored Dr Pepper. The German version does not have artificial sweeteners, but the Polish version does. |
| Dr Pepper Dark Berry | Mexico | 2024 | This is the Mexican release of Dr Pepper Dark Berry, similar to the US version. |
| Dr Pepper Strawberries & Cream | Mexico | 2024 | This is the Mexican release of Dr Pepper Strawberries & Cream, similar to the US version. |
| Dr Pepper Zero Sugar Cherry Crush | United Kingdom | 2025 | A cherry-flavored version of UK Dr Pepper. It was released as a limited edition for Valentine's Day in January 2025. |
Where Dr Pepper is Sold
Keurig Dr Pepper bottles and sells its products in over 30 US states and Canada. While Coca-Cola and Pepsi usually sell their own drinks, you can still find Dr Pepper bottled by them in some areas.
In Europe, Dr Pepper is sold in many countries like Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Poland. It's also available in Russia, South Korea, and Ukraine, often imported from other countries. You can find imported Dr Pepper in Australia and New Zealand, including the UK version in some supermarkets. Dr Pepper is not sold in Thailand or North Korea.
Other Fun Dr Pepper Products
Dr Pepper flavor has been used in many other products:
- Jelly beans made by the Jelly Belly company.
- Hubba Bubba bubblegum.
- BBQ sauce and marinade from Vita Food Products.
- "Lip Smackers" lip balms from Bonne Bell.
- Hard candies called Brach's Soda Poppers.
- Ice cream topping syrup.
- Slurpee drinks sold at 7-Eleven.
- Flavored Freezies.
- Baked beans from The Serious Bean Company.
How Dr Pepper is Advertised
In the past, Dr Pepper had a slogan called "Dr Pepper Time," which was at 10, 2, and 4 o'clock. During World War II, there was even a radio show called The 10–2–4 Ranch that promoted Dr Pepper. In the 1960s, ads used a catchy tune that ended with, "It's Dr Pepper Time!"
In the early 1960s, Dr Pepper suggested drinking it hot with lemon slices in winter. This idea even appeared in the movie Blast from the Past. Around the same time, ads used the phrase "not a cola, not a root beer" to describe its unique taste.
In 1977, a famous jingle called "Be a Pepper" was created. It said:
I'm a Pepper, he's a Pepper,
She's a Pepper, we're a Pepper,
Wouldn't you like to be a Pepper, too?
Be a Pepper. Drink Dr Pepper.
This jingle was very popular and ran in TV commercials for many years. It made fans of Dr Pepper known as "Peppers."
W.W. Clements, a former CEO of Dr Pepper, once said that Dr Pepper's taste is so unique that you can't really describe it. He said, "It's not an apple, it's not an orange, it's not a strawberry, it's not a root beer, it's not even a cola. It's a different kind of drink with a unique taste all its own."
In the 1980s, the "Out of the Ordinary" ad campaign featured commercials with a space cowboy and an alien looking for something different from a simple cola. Some ads even showed Godzilla being offered Dr Pepper.
Around 2009, the slogan was "Drink it slow. Doctor's orders." Ads featured celebrities who were known as "doctors" or played doctors, like Dr. Dre or Neil Patrick Harris. They would say, "Trust me. I'm a doctor," followed by the slogan.
When Dr Pepper Ten was introduced in 2011, its marketing was aimed at boys and men. The ads used strong, masculine images and slogans like "It's Not for Women."
The Dr Pepper Girl
In 1963, a singer named Donna Loren became the "Dr Pepper Girl" after a nationwide search. She promoted the drink everywhere – on radio, TV, in magazines, and at events. She even co-hosted a TV special with Dick Clark called Dr Pepper Celebrity Party.
Donna Loren made many appearances for Dr Pepper, singing and doing commercials. A Dr Pepper historian wrote that Donna was a huge success and became widely known as "The Dr Pepper Girl." Her role as the Dr Pepper Girl even led to her appearing in movies. She represented Dr Pepper until 1968.
From 1961 to 1981, Dr Pepper also sponsored the Miss Teenage America beauty pageant.
Free Dr Pepper for Everyone
On March 26, 2008, Dr Pepper made a big promise. They said they would give "a free can of Dr Pepper to everyone in America" (except for two former guitarists from the band Guns N' Roses) if the band released their long-awaited album Chinese Democracy that year. When the album was finally released in November 2008, Dr Pepper kept its promise.
However, Dr Pepper's website had trouble giving out all the free coupons. The band's representatives were unhappy with how the free coupon offer was handled, saying it caused problems for fans trying to get their free drinks.
"Dr Pepper Capital of the World"
In 1936, the first Dr Pepper plant east of the Mississippi River opened in Roanoke, Virginia. Because of this, Roanoke has been called the "Dr Pepper Capital of the World." In the late 1950s, the city even broke records for how much Dr Pepper its people drank. Even today, Roanoke sells more Dr Pepper than any other big city east of the Mississippi River. In October 2015, Roanoke celebrated October 24 as "Dr Pepper Day."
Dr Pepper Museum
The Dr Pepper Museum is located in the Artesian Manufacturing and Bottling Company building in Waco, Texas. It opened in 1989. This building was built in 1906 specifically to bottle Dr Pepper, and it continued to do so until about 1965. It's a historic place where you can learn all about the drink's past.
See also
In Spanish: Dr Pepper para niños
