at the bar
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Aldaco’s Avocado Margarita
Cesar’s Killer Margaritas’ Dragonfruit Margarita
“Overall, probably 65 percent of our customers order on-the-rocks drinks, but the younger generation is more likely to order the fruity drinks and the frozen drinks, and those who are 75 and up are more likely to consume a frozen than a rocks [cocktail].” – BLANCA ALDACO, Aldaco’s Mexican Restaurant
CHILL OUT TO CASH IN:
Frozen Cocktails Buoy Bar Revenue | BY ED AVIS | Aldaco’s Mexican Restaurant in San Antonio is known for hand-crafted, on-the-rocks cocktails, such as its famous MPO Margarita (so named because it won a “Margarita Pour Off” contest) and the Chilton (Tito’s, lemon juice and Topo Chico). But an important percentage of customers prefer frozen cocktails. “Overall, probably 65 percent of our customers order on-therocks drinks, but the younger generation is more likely to order the fruity drinks and the frozen drinks, and those who are 75 and up are more likely to consume a frozen than a rocks [cocktail],” says owner Blanca Aldaco, adding that the percentage of frozen drink buyers increases when the temperature rises. Cesar’s Killer Margaritas in Chicago, famous for its rotating selection of 32 flavored margaritas, sells an even higher percentage of frozen cocktails. “With summer coming up, we’ll be selling probably about 65 percent frozen cocktails,” reports owner Israel Sanchez.
26 el restaurante | MAY/JUNE 2026
For both Aldaco’s and Cesar’s Killer Margaritas, and countless other Mexican restaurants, serving frozen cocktails is essential to keeping happy customers and a healthy bottom line.
MACHINES ARE KEY
Frozen cocktail machines are essential to the frozen drink programs at Aldaco’s and Cesar’s Killer Margaritas. The machines turn each restaurants’ custom lime margarita blend into a slushy mix that forms the base of a variety of frozen margaritas. Sanchez says they previously made frozen margaritas in a blender, but it was hard to create a consistent product. The machines make a consistent slushy lime margarita and speed up service. But the machine-made base is just the beginning — any variety beyond the lime margarita involves other steps. Consider the Avocado Margarita, the most popular frozen drink at Aldaco’s. To make that cocktail, the bartender dispenses 10 ounces of the frozen lime margarita into a blender, adds a splash of sweet and sour, then adds half an avocado. But the bartender doesn’t just toss the avocado in — she adds it to the blender in five pieces. “We do the avocado in five stages so that it blends softer