It's not a cola and it's not a root beer. And if you remember the days of disco, you probably remember guzzling a can (or 12).
Move over, Dr Pepper; another soda with a courtesy title is back on store shelves. Mr. Pibb has returned—that spicy, cherry-sparked soft drink we Gen Xers remember from the days of Farrah Fawcett hair and bell-bottoms. After being discontinued in 2001 and revived as Pibb Xtra in the 2000s, the drink has been reformulated and released as Mr. Pibb once again. It’s following in the fizzy footsteps of Slice, which also returned recently.
Mr. Pibb was released by Coke in 1972 to compete with Dr Pepper and, in fact, was originally called “Peppo.” Hmm, did anyone in the legal department sign off on that? To nobody’s surprise, Dr Pepper sued because the names were just too similar. So Peppo changed its name.
I actually remember preferring Mr. Pibb, a Coke product, to Dr Pepper (which is a free spirit and not owned by Coca-Cola or PepsiCo, the two bubbly behemoths of the soda world). It wasn’t the completely random name that sold me, but the spicy-yet-somehow-delicate taste. I like cola just fine, but Mr. Pibb is neither a cola nor a root beer—it’s a somewhat-fruity, somewhat-spicy melange. Plus, it’s nice to switch up your sodas from time to time!
Coca-Cola says Mr. Pibb delivers an intense, sweet cherry flavor with hints of caramel and a lingering spicy finish. For some reason, it’s also been jacked up to boast 30% more caffeine than Pibb Xtra. Party on, Wayne. Party on, Garth.
I haven’t nabbed a can yet, but I can tell you from my ancient Gen X memories that if you enjoy Dr Pepper, you’ll likely love you some Mr. Pibb. I remember Mr. Pibb being smoother and possibly sweeter than Dr Pepper, which, at least to my palate, offered more of a bubbly, spicy taste. (I’m still not going to serve it hot, like Dr Pepper once urged.)
When is Mr. Pibb returning?
The permanent comeback is already being rolled out, and you might be able to find Mr. Pibb and Mr. Pibb Zero Sugar on your grocery shelves right now. It’s currently available at some participating retailers on the West Coast, in the Midwest and in Florida, where you’ll find it sold in 12-packs of 12-ounce cans and also in 20-ounce bottles.
A representative for Coca-Cola says Mr. Pibb will expand to more parts of the country in early 2026. Mr. Pibb will also be available in 2-liter bottles.
