Mental Floss

BEVERAGES

You might be shocked by your state‘s favorite margarita.

From fruity blends to fiery flavors, discover the most searched margarita recipes across the U.S. leading up to Cinco de Mayo 2025.

Try a paloma cocktail for a change.

Tired of celebrating Cinco de Mayo with yet another margarita? Try these popular Mexican drinks that go beyond lime and tequila.

If you didn't know they had them before, now you do.

Bottled water might seem like it lasts forever, but containers have expiration dates attached. Discover why and whether it’s safe to drink after it’s expired.

Are you a pickle person?

The pickle menu was originally conceived as an April Fool’s joke, but now it’s very real.

A design mystery, decoded.

They’re mostly for the barista, not the customer.

Miller dominates in America.

Coffeeness reveals the most popular beer brands across the U.S., with the Miller Brewing Company coming out on top.

The Shamrock Shake flavor is a national favorite overall.

Curious about St. Patrick‘s Day green food trends? Explore which states are most interested in dyeing their pies, drinks, and desserts for the holiday.

Believe it or not, soda containers can change how the product tastes.

Ever wondered why canned soda tastes different from one in a plastic bottle? Learn how container materials impact flavor.

Here are the winners and runners-up from this year’s Customer Choice Awards, including snacks, sweet treats, and even body care products.

The results of the Trader Joe‘s Annual Customer Choice Awards are in. Here‘s the best the grocery store has to offer, according to customers.

Celebrate St. Patrick‘s Day with McDonald‘s Shamrock Shake.

McDonald‘s Shamrock Shake returns with a charitable twist: Every shake helps Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Many coffee drinkers prefer mom-and-pop shops to corporate franchises.

From Knoxville to Lincoln, these independent coffeeshops are brewing up some love.

They don't have an unlimited shelf life.

When is it time to bid farewell to your trusty water bottle? Here's what to look for, plus why it’s such a big problem in the first place.

There‘s a time and place for black tea (left) and herbal tea (right).

“Caffeine-free tea” isn't actually tea at all.

Next time someone confuses the two drinks, you‘ll know how to correct them.

Don’t let wine aficionados hear you confuse these two sparkling beverages.

Some pubs are rationing the Irish stout ahead of the holidays.

‘Snackfishing‘ refers to creating and posting fake food products (typically via Adobe Photoshop) on social media to gain attention.

The Instagram page UK Snack Attack always discloses when a product is a snackfish, but many viewer don’t read the captions.

A dash of nutmeg on top never hurt.

Eggnog started out as a fancy English drink called posset and made its way into American holiday celebrations.

Eggnog is an old-fashioned holiday classic.

From traditional eggnog to boozy apple toddies, these old-fashioned holiday bevvies from vintage cookbooks will warm you up on winter days.

Go to Walmart if you like to save money.

These chains should be on your radar if you want to save money at the register.

Celebrate the holidays with an Aldi Advent calendar.

Aldi’s shoppers, rejoice! The store’s 2024 Advent calendars are coming soon.

Apple cider can be dangerous.

Fresh apple cider is delicious. It’s also potentially teeming with bacteria.

Finally, an entire restaurant dedicated to Doritos.

The chip brand now has its own restaurant in the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Some cities are better for coffee drinkers than others.

Coffee enthusiasts might consider relocating to one of these caffeine meccas.

Coffee has a language all its own.

Know your latte from your cappuccino before you embarrass yourself.