What does an Arnold Palmer taste like?
An Arnold Palmer tastes like the best of both: half iced tea, half lemonade, so it is sweet, tart and refreshing with a gentle tea backbone.
Arnold Palmer
half iced tea, half lemonade
An Arnold Palmer is iced tea and lemonade mixed together, usually half and half, named after the golfer who made it his order. The lemonade brings sweet and sour, and the black tea adds a slightly dry, bitter grip that keeps it from tasting like plain juice. It's lighter than lemonade and more interesting than plain iced tea. How sweet it is depends on the lemonade and whether the tea is sweetened. Some places add mint, peach or berries. The boozy version, with vodka, is often called a John Daly.
Where you’ll see it
At diners, golf clubs, Southern restaurants and cafés, served over ice in a tall glass with a lemon wedge. Some places list it as half and half.
Order it if you can never decide between iced tea and lemonade.
Quick questions
- Is an Arnold Palmer sweet?
- Moderately. The lemonade is sweet and the tea is usually unsweetened, so it lands in the middle. Sweet tea versions taste much sweeter.
- Does an Arnold Palmer have caffeine?
- Usually yes, from the black tea, though less than a cup of coffee. Some places use decaf or herbal tea, so ask if it matters.