Will The Margarita Be The Drink Of The Summer?
In the last decade, the rainy, spring months have birthed a new trend: predicting the summer's hottest drink has become as conventional as betting on who might win the NBA playoffs. And the margarita is this year's top contender.
Last week, DoorDash predicted that the margarita will become the drink of the summer. 'There's something about this classic that people trust because it's a cocktail you know, and you know it delivers,' Cristen Milliner, consumer trends expert at DoorDash told Forbes via email.
Milliner and her team combed through data to discover that 'consumers are reaching for margarita ingredients like never before.' According to DoorDash data from January 1 - April 14, 2025, as compared to the same timeframe in 2024, orders for reposado tequila are up 95%, gold tequila up 65% and añejo tequila up 60%. Even orders of ready-to-drink (RTD) tequila cocktails have increased 55%.
In terms of margarita ingredients, DoorDash witnessed a 125% increase in mixed seasoning blends for rims, as well as an 100% increase in agave syrup, 80% increase in limes sales and 80% increase in jalapeños.
After years of the Spritz category reigning supreme as the drink of the summer — whether the Aperol Spritz or Hugo Spritz — Milliner says it's not a surprise that margaritas are back in the spotlight. 'There's a lot of change happening. With rising costs and tariff implications, these changes are impacting how people are thinking about what they eat and drink,' she shared. 'The margarita is built on simple, accessible ingredients that aren't currently being disrupted in the same way and that sense of stability is what consumers are craving.'
Another factor in favor of margaritas is the consistent growth of the tequila category. In the latest Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Association's SipSource Data Insights, tequila is the only spirit with category growth in the first quarter. The spirits category declined -3.8% by volume over the past year but tequila managed to grow +1.3% in the same 12 month period to March—up from +0.9% in February.
'Part of what's driving the margarita's comeback is that it's reliable and also customizable,' said Milliner, adding that whether you're making one at home or ordering out, the flavor choice is yours. DoorDash has a prediction for the flavor of the summer, too: watermelon.
The year-over-year data shows an 89% increase in watermelon orders. Beyond watermelon, Milliner mentions the bold, flavorful and superfood of pomegranate is a flavor to watch. 'Just like watermelon, pomegranate taps into consumers' growing interest in drinks that feel light, functional, and balanced, and our data shows that all things pomegranate, from the fruit to even seeds, are continuing to trend,' said Milliner.
Whether or not you're ready for a margarita summer, there's no escaping tequila's growth. Below, discover three new tequila bottles riding the category's surging popularity.
Tequila Purísima
Tequila Purísima
Guided by Master Distiller Carlos R. Huizar, this 100 percent Mexican-owned and operated tequila just entered the market with a blanco and reposado expression. Laelia Tequila was founded by Fernando Pérez Ontiveros, a fourth generation agave grower, to be distinctly agave-forward with notes nurtured by traditional brick-oven slow cooking and copper pot distillation. SRP $59.99 (blanco), $69.99 (reposado)
Another May brand launch comes from Brent Hocking, master of Tequila, as he returns to the category he helped define (he founded Deleon Tequila in 2006 which he later sold to Diageo). Tequila Purísima is an ultra-premium blanco tequila reflecting a double entendre: tequila in its purest form and crafted in Purísima del Rincón, Guanajuato where it is made with some of the most unadulterated water in Mexico sourced from three 1,300-foot-deep natural spring wells. SRP $400
Last month, Tequila Don Julio 1942 unveiled their inaugural global cultural collaboration in partnership with DJ and fashion icon Peggy Gou. The limited edition bottle of Don Julio 194구 (구 is pronounced 'Gou') is wrapped in a mint green decal and topped with a chrome cap to appeal to the 'next-gen cool' vibe of Gou. The limited edition is one to snag as a collector's bottle to stand out on the bar cart. SRP $225
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