The frozen margarita is one of the most ordered cocktails in the United States, and the machine that made it possible was invented in Dallas, Texas, on May 11, 1971. The man behind it was Mariano Martinez, a young restaurateur who needed a faster way to serve consistent frozen drinks to a crowd that could not get enough of them. His solution changed the cocktail industry forever.
Here is the story.
In 1971, Mariano Martinez had just opened Mariano’s Mexican Cuisine in Dallas. His father’s margarita recipe was a hit, but the demand outpaced his bartender’s ability to keep up. Each frozen margarita had to be blended individually, which was slow and produced inconsistent results. Some came out too thick, others too thin. The line at the bar was growing, and the quality was not holding.
After a sleepless night spent thinking about the problem, Martinez stopped at a 7-Eleven and watched a Slurpee machine dispense frozen drinks at a steady, consistent pace. The thought was simple: if a convenience store could serve frozen slushies this way, why not frozen margaritas?
Martinez bought a used soft-serve ice cream machine and spent months modifying it to handle his father’s margarita recipe. The challenge was getting the alcohol content right. Alcohol has a lower freezing point than the sugar-water base of a Slurpee, so the machine had to be calibrated to keep the mixture at the right consistency without freezing solid or staying liquid.
On May 11, 1971, the first batch of machine-made frozen margaritas was served at Mariano’s Mexican Cuisine in Dallas. The drink was an immediate hit. Customers lined up, and word spread fast. Within months, other restaurants began building their own versions of the machine.
Martinez never patented the invention. The frozen margarita machine concept spread across Texas, then across the country, and eventually around the world. Small restaurants that previously could not keep up with frozen drink demand could suddenly serve them consistently, quickly and in large quantities.
In 2005, the original machine was donated to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., where it sits alongside other iconic American inventions.
Mariano’s Hacienda Ranch in Arlington carries the family’s legacy and continues to serve frozen margaritas. The restaurant is widely considered the top Tex-Mex destination in Arlington and is famous as the birthplace of the frozen margarita machine. The carne asada, fajitas and Pancho Villa platter are standout menu items, and the frozen margaritas are made the way they have been since 1971.
Mariano’s is a short drive from the Arlington Entertainment District, making it a natural stop before or after a Texas Rangers game at Globe Life Field or a soccer match at Dallas Stadium.
Frozen margaritas are also available throughout Texas Live!, at Tex-Mex restaurants across the DFW area and inside Globe Life Field at various concession stands.
The frozen margarita machine is a Texas invention that changed how the world drinks. It is a story about a young restaurateur solving a simple problem with creative thinking, and the result became one of the most recognizable cocktails on the planet. Visiting the DFW area without trying a frozen margarita at the place where it all started would be like visiting the Entertainment District without watching a game.
Get tickets to see the Rangers in 2026 and pair a frozen margarita at Mariano’s with a night at the ballpark. Globe Life Field has a retractable roof and air conditioning, but the margarita will cool you down before you even get inside.
May 11, 1971, at Mariano’s Mexican Cuisine in Dallas, Texas.
Mariano Martinez, a Dallas restaurateur who adapted a used soft-serve ice cream machine to dispense his father’s margarita recipe.
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
Mariano’s Hacienda Ranch in Arlington is a short drive from the Entertainment District. Frozen margaritas are also available at Texas Live! and inside Globe Life Field.
No. Mariano Martinez did not patent the machine, and the concept spread rapidly across the restaurant industry.
Start with a frozen margarita. For food, the carne asada, fajitas and Pancho Villa platter are the standout items.
