Houston restaurants are adding soft-serve margaritas, which one operator says are a new revenue stream. Doña Leti’s says it draws visitors from across Texas; Happy Go Lucky says the drinks compete with shaved ice and its machines have paid for themselves.
At Kanga’s indoor play center in Atascocita, owner Eric Styron said the business sold around 108 soft-serve margaritas in June and July, then switched the machine to nonalcoholic soft-serve ice cream; he may bring the drinks back. Kanga’s version used a wine-based mix. Styron said its wine and malt beverage permit cost $2,000, while a mixed-beverage permit allowing tequila would cost $5,300 plus $2,650 in annual renewals.
Doña Leti’s co-owner Kalli King Lozano said it was the first restaurant in Houston and Texas to get a working machine running. The restaurant has tried peach bellini and lemon drop martini flavors and made a soft-serve mimosa. Happy Go Lucky offers mango and blackberry margaritas, piña coladas and daiquiris; its versions are made from scratch without premade mix.
