Which of the following carbonated soft drinks were introduced first?

The story behind the answer

Dr Pepper came first, introduced in 1885 by pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas—beating Coca‑Cola (1886), Mountain Dew (1940), and Sprite (1961). Originally mixed at a drugstore soda fountain, it reflects the era when pharmacists brewed carbonated “tonics” as pick‑me‑ups.

Fun context: Dr Pepper’s signature “23 flavors” and its famous “Drink a Bite to Eat at 10,