What Is The Best-Selling Soda Brand In The US?

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The question nearly everyone has a strong opinion about: Coke or Pepsi? While fans of each brand are passionate about which is superior, the sales speak for themselves. As reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Coca-Cola dominated the U.S. market in 2025, making it the best selling soda brand in the country. Dr. Pepper ranked second in sales, while Pepsi came in third. These figures line up with a poll conducted by Mashed, which found that only 36% of respondents expressed a preference for Pepsi. 

While Dr. Pepper's second place finish is a bit surprising, Coke has routinely trounced Pepsi in sales over the years. Both beverages were invented in the late 19th century, though Coca-Cola beat Pepsi's origination by about seven years. Both gained acclaim in pharmacies before evolving into the soft drinks consumers love today. Perhaps these similarities explain the ongoing rivalry between the brands, which has led to rumors that Coca-Cola employees are prohibited from drinking Pepsi (true, but only at work). As for the other top-selling sodas, Diet Coke ranked fourth place, while Sprite (which is owned by Coca-Cola) came in fifth. For those keeping score at home, that means Coke accounts for three of America's top five soda brands. 

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While many consumers can't tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi in blind taste tests, flavor variations have been noted. One of the differences between Coke and Pepsi is that the latter has a sweeter taste, which can be attributed to its slightly higher sugar content. Some people also detect a sharper, citrusy flavor in Pepsi, whereas Coke is said to have notes of vanilla and raisin. 

In a 2004 study (via PubMed) evaluating behavioral preferences between Coke and Pepsi, researchers found that brand associations elicited stronger opinions than were observed during blind tests. Similar results were observed during fMRI scans, which evaluated activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (a part of the brain crucial to decision-making) during taste tests. This could mean that branding might have something to do with Coca-Cola's continued reign over the nation's taste buds.

Coke's iconic branding is attributed to Frank M. Robinson, who worked as a bookkeeper for Coca-Cola inventor John S. Pemberton. Robinson not only created the logo by hand, but he was also responsible for coming up with the brand name, as he found the two Cs aesthetically pleasing. Despite some variations, the iconic logo has largely remained unchanged since its creation.