REVIEW: Mr Pibb Thrillin’ Vanilla

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Mr Pibb Thrillin’ Vanilla bottle

I love Mr Pibb. Okay, or to be more precise, I loved Mr. Pibb. You know. 25 years ago, when it was Mr. Pibb. And then it became Pibb Xtra, and I loved that, too. I never noticed a flavor change when the rebranding occurred, but there are hardcore Pibb Purists who will tell you there absolutely was a distinct formula reconfiguration, and the original was either 1) way better than the newer version or 2) a horrific tragedy.

Again, I didn’t notice.

But now Mr Pibb is back from witness protection, or wherever he was, and Pibb Xtra has been relegated to that Great Soda Graveyard in the Sky. The new Mr Pibb is less “spicy” and has more caffeine. It also — much to my sadness — tastes almost indistinguishable from its primary competition, regular Dr Pepper. That’s right — I’m now firmly in the “Mr Pibb tastes noticeably different than Pibb Xtra, and Pibb Xtra is much better” camp.

It's "Kickin'" cherry, and don't you forget it.

The other thing Mr Pibb is bringing with him? New flavor profiles. For the first time ever, the “Kickin’” cherry cola (the bottle now touts its kickiness as opposed to its spiciness) is now available in “Punchin’ Peach” and “Thrillin’ Vanilla.” So if you get the peach flavor, you’re getting a punching, kicking cherry soda. Violently delicious! Anyway, I got the Vanilla kind because that’s the only one they had at QuikTrip.

Mr Pibb Thrillin’ Vanilla sitting on a desk.

The vanilla flavor is much milder than the vanilla I taste in Dr Pepper & Cream Soda. It wasn’t bad, by any means, just understated. The Mr Pibb taste was front and center, so your enjoyment of this product will probably depend on how much you like the flavor of the reintroduction. Because — as previously stated — I don’t like the new/old version compared to Pibb Xtra, I didn’t really find myself liking Thrillin’ Vanilla, either. Instead, I’m just saddened by what could have been. A vanilla (or peach) infused Pibb Xtra would have been absolutely divine. But as it stands, I won’t be sad to see this one go.

Purchased Price: $2.79
Size: 20 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: QuikTrip
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (20 oz) 240 calories, 0 grams of fat, 60 milligrams of sodium, 66 grams of carbohydrates, 66 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Mr Pibb Zero Sugar (2025)

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Mr Pibb Zero Sugar (2025) 20 ounce bottle

Although Mr. Pibb originally debuted in the mid-70s as Coca-Cola’s answer to a Dr Pepper-dominated market, it’s always felt newer than that. As a child growing up in the 90s, I could have sworn it came out during that time, part of the same era as 1997’s now-nostalgia-bait classic Surge. But maybe Coca-Cola just ran really aggressive ads targeting youth at the time that made Pibb seem cool, new, and fresh — like Surge. In any case, it went away in 2001, became Pibb Xtra, and outside of Coca-Cola Freestyle machines, I pretty much never saw it in California, especially the Zero Sugar variety.

Now, at the end of 2025, Coca-Cola is no doubt preying on that millennial nostalgia, bringing Mr. Pibb back into rotation with regular and zero-sugar varieties. The new Pibb is catapulting onto the soda scene with 30% more caffeine and a “bolder, spicy cherry flavor.” I know Coca-Cola has a lot of faith in this comeback because I have never seen Pibb Xtra at my local grocery store, and this popped up within a day of its announcement online, and the nostalgia baiting worked.

I have always loved Dr Pepper, and before the zero-sugar sodas took the crown, Diet Dr Pepper was always one of the most faithful and impressive calorie-free sodas on the market. I was a Dr. Pepper boy but grew up in a Coca-Cola household, so Pibb has a special spot in my heart, even if it was an imitator of something quintessentially Texan dating back to the early 1900s. And I must say, this new Pibb is incredible.

Mr Pibb Zero Sugar (2025) bubbles

2025’s Mr. Pibb definitely has a sharper cherry flavor than what I remember of the old recipe (and had from the AMC freestyle machine last week), but not as forward as the Cherry Dr Pepper you can get on shelves today. Mr. Pibb is smooth and profoundly sweet with a nice peppery bite in the finish that leaves a pleasant, slight creaminess and invites you to drink more. When it comes to the boosted caffeine, this 20-ounce bottle has 90 milligrams, whereas Coca-Cola has 57, Diet Coke has 78, and the staple champion of high-caffeine sodas, Mountain Dew, has 91. It’s safe to say this reformulated Pibb brings a legitimate extra boost for the caffeine crowd.

Mr Pibb Zero Sugar (2025) in a glass

Caffeine content aside, from a flavor and enjoyment standpoint, it is fantastic. I will go so far as to say this is one of the greatest, most faithful, and refreshing zero-sugar renditions of a soda that has ever been created. It is up there with A&W Zero Sugar Root Beer, Dr. Pepper Zero, and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar for one of the most satisfying calorie-free drinks money can buy, and it might even be my new favorite. I drank three bottles in preparation for this review to make sure I wasn’t drunk on nostalgia, and I can confirm, the new Mr. Pibb delivers resoundingly.

Purchased Price: $2.29
Size: 20 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle, 20 ounces) 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 60 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 0 grams of total sugars, and 0 grams of protein.

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