Dr. Pepper fan stands in front of two differently shaped bottles in a store chiller. Then she identifies one as fake: ‘This is made by Pepsi’

A Dr. Pepper fan has sparked a heated debate on TikTok after claiming she can tell whether a bottle of the popular soda is “real” simply by looking at its shape. Juliana (@mommaof.2boys) stood in front of a refrigerated drink case in what appeared to be a convenience store and pointed at two rows of Dr. Pepper bottles. In the video, which has drawn about 3.6 million views, 232,500 likes, and nearly 6,000 comments, she said, “Okay, so this is how you know I’m a Dr. Pepper wh–e.” On-screen text in the clip read, “Iykyk.”

She pointed first at bottles on the top row that she described as having a wider, more generic shape. She stated, “This is fake Dr. Pepper. This is made by Pepsi, hence why the f–k it looks like a Pepsi.” She then pointed to bottles on the bottom row that she said had a narrower, ribbed design and called those “real Dr. Pepper.” She added, “So this and this is not the f–king same.”

Juliana pulled one of the bottom-row bottles forward and repeated her warning. She said, “Don’t ever f–king bring me this sh–t. If I send you to get me a Pepsi, don’t bring me this sh–t because I’m gonna f–king cry.” She later said that if she sent someone to the store for a Dr. Pepper and they did not bring a bottle that looked like the ones she called real, she would be “f–king livid” because she claimed it was “not real Dr. Pepper” and was “f–king made by Pepsi.”

Different licensed bottlers produce Dr. Pepper in three plastic bottle styles

Reports from The Takeout and Tasting Table state that Keurig Dr. Pepper partners with both Coca-Cola and Pepsi to bottle the drink in different parts of the country. Those reports say the brand also bottles much of its own product. As a result, shoppers can see three different plastic bottle shapes even though the drink volume is described as the same.

The Takeout report said which bottles a store carries depends on where that store sources the product. Coca-Cola and Pepsi hold bottling rights in specific regions, so one style may be hard to find in an area that does not receive shipments from that bottler. The same report described the arrangement as mutually useful. Dr. Pepper does not have to run as many of its own bottling plants, while Coca-Cola and Pepsi are paid for the work.

Tasting Table noted that Dr. Pepper is not owned by Coca-Cola or Pepsi. It said the brand is the only top-five soft drink in that position, and in the past, Dr. Pepper licensed bottling and distribution to those two companies. After Keurig Green Mountain acquired Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, the company is said to have begun some in-house bottling. Licensed Coca-Cola and Pepsi bottling apparently still exists in parts of the United States and overseas.

Keurig Dr. Pepper has denied that the drink tastes different when Coca-Cola or Pepsi bottles it. The company has claimed that all bottlers use the same concentrate made from a secret blend of 23 ingredients. Tasting Table reported that any differences people notice would have to come from something else, such as the water used or conditions at a given plant, because the recipe itself does not change under that claim.

The same Tasting Table piece said packaging can affect how people experience the flavor. It stated that cans, bottles, and fountain drinks are not identical in practice. Bottlers must follow a set syrup-to-water ratio for cans and bottles. Fountain machines can be adjusted, which can make a drink taste sweeter or stronger. The article also said a smaller difference can appear between cans and bottles because of the materials used.

Some viewers of Juliana’s video pushed back on the idea that one bottle is fake. One commenter wrote, “They are literally the same…” Another suggested a blind taste test and wrote, “Do a blind taste test and see if you can actually tell the difference.” Packaging differences can also lead to unexpected discoveries, such as when a woman buys two bottles of French’s mustard and realizes the brand is ripping off Americans. 

A third commenter compared the situation to ordering tacos and ending up at Taco Bell. They wrote, “it’s similar to someone saying ‘Let’s go get tacos’ and pull up at Taco Bell.” Another person recommended glass bottles and wrote, “Nahh yall need to try the glass bottled Dr Pepper that one is made with cane sugar and is elite!”

Other commenters described the bottling setup itself. One wrote, “Dr. Pepper isn’t made by coke or Pepsi. Dr. Pepper is made by Dr. Pepper and they pay Coke and Pepsi to bottle it depending on the region of the country they are in. That’s why there are 2 different bottles.”

Another said they had worked for Coca-Cola and added, “Girl it’s not fake because it’s in a different bottle. It’s the same recipe with different bottling plants. Saying this as someone who worked for Coca-Cola and had to go through all the training on who’s who and the difference.” Bottle shape controversies can spark confusion, as when a TikToker crashed out over a change to an International Delights bottle.