Applebee’s promotional drink deals have become something of a cultural phenomenon. They’re the kind of deal that gets people excited to round up friends for a night out or plan a casual date without worrying about drinks spiking the bill.
Whether it’s dollar margaritas, half-price happy hour, or themed cocktail specials, these promotions offer a chance to enjoy tasty drinks and good times at prices that actually make sense for most budgets.
But a former employee shared the behind-the-scenes of how those cheap margaritas are made. And it has people seriously rethinking whether the deal is really worth it.
Former Applebee’s Employee Shares Disturbing Claim About $1 Margaritas
Former Applebee’s worker Liz (@liztaylorrrr) issued a warning about Applebee’s dollar margaritas. Her video has more than 197,000 views.
“As someone that worked at Applebee’s for three years, and this was, like, when they first brought out those dollar margaritas, if you knew how those were made, you b—— wouldn’t be drinking them,” Liz said.
“If you knew how nasty that s— was, y’all wouldn’t be drinking that.”
Liz emphasizes that she can’t speak for every Applebee’s location, but she’s clear about what she witnessed at her workplace.
“I’ve seen how they make them, and it’s nasty,” she added.
So How Do They Make Them?
In her caption, Liz provided specific details after viewers asked for clarification.
According to Liz, employees at her location used a floor hose and a dirty bucket to prepare large batches of the promotional margaritas.
Liz’s allegations raise questions about quality control and sanitation practices, particularly when it comes to high-volume promotional items that may put pressure on staff to prepare large quantities quickly.
What Are Food Safety Standards For Beverage Preparation?
If Liz’s allegations about using a floor hose and dirty bucket are accurate, they would represent serious violations of restaurant food safety standards.
Restaurant food safety is regulated at the local and state level, with most jurisdictions following guidelines based on the FDA Food Code. While specific requirements vary by location, the basic principles of safe food and beverage preparation are consistent across the industry.
Cross-contamination is one of the most serious food safety violations, WebstaurantStore states.
Contamination can occur at any stage of the cooking process, including the handling, storage, and preparation of foods. It can also occur from the misuse of tools and utensils, poor personal hygiene, and neglecting to maintain a safe, sanitary kitchen environment.
Common cross-contamination violations that health inspectors look for include using the same cutting board or knives for raw chicken and vegetables, storing ice scoops inside ice machines, using glassware to scoop ice, servers touching the rims of glasses or plates, and not storing cleaning towels in sanitizer solution.
Using equipment or water sources that aren’t designated for food preparation—like floor hoses typically used for cleaning floors and other non-food surfaces—would fall into this same category.
TouchBistro notes that proper beverage preparation requires using clean, sanitized containers and equipment specifically designated for food service. Using a “dirty bucket,” as Liz describes, would violate basic sanitation standards that require all food contact surfaces to be clean and properly maintained.
The potential health risks from such practices are significant. Contaminated water sources or dirty containers could introduce harmful bacteria, chemicals from cleaning products, or other contaminants into beverages that customers consume.
These violations, if proven, could result in fines, temporary closure, or other serious penalties from health departments.
Commenters React
“I don’t think anyone who’s drinking dollar margs cares how they’re made,” a top comment read.
“It’s cheap liquor, margarita mix& water??? -an Applebees bartender,” a person said.
“As a bartender , the 1$ drinks are such a red flag,” another pointed out.
“I had it one time and it tasted like how a public bathroom smells idek how to explain it. NEVER AGAIN,” a commenter wrote.
@liztaylorrrr *READ CAPTION* OKAY SINCE NO ONE CAN READ THE COMMENTS AND THE 1000 times I’ve responded AT THE LOCATION I WORKED AT THEY WOULD GET A DIRTY BUCKET AND THE HOSE FROM THE FLOOR TO MAKE BIG BATCHES OF IT! #dollarmargaritas #applebees #fyp #foryoupage #fypシ
BroBible reached out to Liz for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to Applebee’s via email.