I can certainly say this has added to my quality of life:

The harried bartenders at Mariano’s couldn’t squeeze enough limes or blend the drinks fast enough to keep up with demand, though. Customers complained – the signature drink was inconsistent, and it wasn’t even cold.

“I saw my dream evaporating,” Mr. Martinez said. “This was my one shot at being somebody.”

A pit stop at a 7-Eleven proved inspiring. Mr. Martinez spotted a Slurpee machine and knew he’d found the answer. He acquired a soft-serve ice cream machine and started mixing.

“The challenge was to make each drink taste like a blender margarita,” he said. “We kept experimenting – and tasting.”

Once Mr. Martinez hit upon the right recipe – sugar was the secret ingredient, he said – he moved the machine to the bar.

“It became an instant success,” he said. “We didn’t have to sell it.”

Mr. Martinez never got a patent for his margarita machine, so copycats quickly surfaced. Soon, other bars and restaurants were pouring frozen margaritas, and a few claimed to have acquired “Mariano’s secret recipe.”

Ole! 🙂

Hat Tip: Virginia Postrel