• by Todd Wasserman , Staff Writer, December 14, 2022

Earlier this month, Pepsi rolled out an ad with Lindsay Lohan in which the former child star advocated mixing milk and Pepsi to make “Pilk.”

The idea was quick to take off on TikTok and Twitter.

But many have pointed out that the idea of adding milk to soda isn’t new. Above is an old ad from 7Up that makes the case for 7Up and milk.

The 1970s sitcom “Laverne & Shirley” also featured the Laverne character drinking milk and Pepsi as her go-to beverage. In fact, a mix of Coke and milk was trending on Twitter in 2019.

It should be pointed out that mixing milk with soda isn’t that weird.

The ice cream float (ice cream in a soft drink mixture of flavored syrup and carbonated water) has been around since 1874. and examples of its variations can be found in Mexico, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico.

There is even a version made with Guinness lager, ice cream and espresso. The egg cream, a drink made up of whole milk, soda water and syrup, has also been around since the 1880s.

One barrier to adoption is that milk and Coke does have the tendency to curdle, as The Guardian’s "faddy eater "columnist discovered in 2019. That year, a debate occurred on Twitter about “milk Coke.” Within two weeks, a post on the topic received more than 1,000 retweets and 5,600 likes.

So this holiday season, if you’re enjoying a Pilk, bear in mind that you’re not partaking of a hot new drink, but one that’s almost 150 years old.