Episode Details

Created in 1885 at Morrison's Old Corner Drugstore in Waco, Texas, Dr Pepper predates Coca-Cola by a year. This episode explores how pharmacist Charles Alderton tried to capture the smell of a drugstore in a drink, why the romantic story behind the name falls apart under census records, and how the legendary 23 flavors remain a closely guarded secret.

We dig into the prune juice rumor, the 2009 ledger discovery, and the FDA ruling that Dr Pepper is not a cola, which let it use Coke and Pepsi bottlers. Then we cover fights with Coca-Cola over Peppo, the Dallas Cowboys stadium deal, its 2024 climb to number two, and marketing hits and misses from hot Dr Pepper to Dr Pepper Ten.

• Why the drink began as the Waco and why the Dr. Charles Pepper origin story does not hold up
• The prune juice rumor, the split recipe and the Texas Panhandle ledger
• How the pepper soda classification opened rival bottling networks to Dr Pepper
• Legal battles with Coca-Cola, the Peppo to Mr. Pibb switch and Jerry Jones's stadium deal
• Campaigns from 10, 2 and 4 and Be a Pepper to the Axl Rose giveaway fiasco and a viral TikTok jingle