Popular ‘dirty soda’ drive-thru opening in Ammon this month. Here’s what makes it different.
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AMMON — A drive-thru beverage chain known for popularizing “dirty sodas” is opening soon in Ammon.
Swig, located at 3857 South 25th East, is expected to open in October. It’s near Cafe Zupas. It claims the title of being the original dirty soda company. A dirty soda is a non-alcoholic soft drink mixed with flavored syrups, cream, and other add-ons.
Dillon McSpadden, a franchise partner, told EastIdahoNews.com in an email that the grand opening at the Ammon location will be on Oct. 23 and Oct. 24. There will be free drinks and cookies for everyone who comes on those two days from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“We are excited to bring something that’s new and different. Everyone thinks that all the soda shops are the same, but they’re definitely not,” said Jim McSpadden, one of the franchise owners who oversees operations.
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It’s a family-owned business. Brothers Jim, Darin, and Brad McSpadden, along with their sister, Sherrill Olsen, own it with their nephew, Dillon McSpadden. Swig originated in Utah, where both Darin and Dillon live.
“They were the ones that saw the growth that was happening with Swig in Utah and then came and got us together as a family and said, ‘Hey, we should buy this franchise and do something like this in Idaho,’ and that’s how we got into it,” Jim, who lives here locally, said.
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The family owns all nine franchise locations in Idaho, with 10 soon to come. There are three Meridian locations, as well as Nampa, Boise, Eagle, Twin Falls, Rexburg, and Ammon. Jim said a Swig will open in Idaho Falls in November off Utah Avenue near Walmart.
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Swig is a drive-thru soda fountain chain founded in 2010 by Nicole Tanner (now Robison). She is originally from Driggs..
“She was trying to figure out how to make some extra money on the side, so she started mixing drinks with soda out on a little tabletop, out on the corner of the street. She had lines so long,” Jim said. “They opened their first store in 2010 in St. George, Utah, and it’s taken off from there.”
Now they have over 175 locations across the country. The Larry H. Miller Company became a majority stakeholder in November 2022.
So what makes Swig different from other soda shops? Jim said it’s the quality of the product, like the treats, creams, and fruits. They invest in a top-of-the-line filtering, chilling, and carbonation system that makes the sodas extra crisp.
“We invest a lot in the training programs of our people and the other equipment that we use to make the drinks so that the drink is the same every time,” he said. “We have equipment that measures it precisely, so they can’t overdo it or underdo it. It puts the exact amount of product in the drink.”
They offer a wide variety of products, including many sugar-free options, Swig’s proprietary energy drink, and water-based options for those who don’t like carbonation.
The menu also includes cookies, pretzel bites, and more. Click here to view it.
“All of our treats come from a Swig bakery located in Utah. And we release new items for customers to try almost every month,” Jim said.
Swig has additionally been a big part of communities through fundraisers like “Save the Cups.” It helps women fight breast cancer by providing financial support and promoting early detection. According to its website, nearly $2 million has been raised, and 169 women have been helped since 2020.
Robison is a cancer survivor. Click here to learn more about her story.
“She wanted to do something to give back to help women who are fighting breast cancer. We sell cups of soda. For every drink that we sell, we donate a certain amount of money,” Jim said.
“We want to participate in the community. We’ve been doing this quite a bit up in Rexburg, but we do fundraisers with schools. We try to do lots of different things where we give back. I personally want to be involved in doing what I can to help support our community,” Jim continued.
He looks forward to opening the Ammon location this month, and everyone is invited to the grand opening.
