A Roy Rogers is a classic non-alcoholic “mocktail” made with cola, grenadine syrup, and a maraschino cherry garnish.

Quick Scoop: What is a Roy Rogers drink?

At its core, a Roy Rogers is basically cola turned into a mocktail with a sweet cherry-pomegranate twist. It’s often considered the “cola counterpart” to a Shirley Temple.

Basic definition

  • Non-alcoholic mixed drink (mocktail).
  • Made with cola (like Coca-Cola or Pepsi).
  • Flavored with grenadine syrup (pomegranate-based, tastes like cherry to most people).
  • Traditionally garnished with a maraschino cherry.

One simple way to picture it: imagine a glass of cola, add a splash of red syrup, throw in a cherry, and you’ve basically got a Roy Rogers.

Quick background

  • Named after Hollywood cowboy star Roy Rogers, popular in the 1940s–50s.
  • The name was likely chosen because he was known for avoiding alcohol, so the drink fit his “clean-cut” image.
  • It became a kid-friendly, family-restaurant staple, often seen as the “boy” counterpart to the Shirley Temple (though that idea feels dated now).

What it tastes like

  • Sweet cola base with an extra layer of fruity, cherry-like sweetness from grenadine.
  • Fizzy and sugary, more like a dessert drink than a subtle cocktail.
  • The cherry garnish adds a small burst of extra fruit flavor.

Simple home “recipe”

If you want to make one at home, the structure is very straightforward. For example:

  1. Fill a tall glass with ice.
  2. Pour in about 6–8 oz of cola.
  1. Add a small splash (around 0.5–1 oz) of grenadine, depending on how sweet you like it.
  1. Stir gently and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Some modern riffs add a squeeze of lemon or a splash of soda water to cut the sweetness, but the classic version is just cola + grenadine + cherry.

Related drinks

  • Shirley Temple: ginger ale or lemon-lime soda plus grenadine, cherry garnish; same idea, different soda base.
  • “Dirty” Roy Rogers (informal term): some people add alcohol (like rum or a neutral spirit), but once you do that, it’s no longer a true mocktail.

In short, if you order a Roy Rogers at a bar or restaurant, you’re asking for a fizzy, kid-friendly cola mocktail made with grenadine and topped with a cherry.

TL;DR: A Roy Rogers drink is a non-alcoholic mocktail made from cola and grenadine syrup, served over ice and garnished with a maraschino cherry.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.