The Legend
The Legend of RhondaRita
Rhonda built her signature margarita the old way: one pour at a time, for Rick, her late husband. This is how it traveled from a bar in Las Vegas into a can in your hand. Decades in Las Vegas hospitality. Over thirty years behind one of the most prestigious bars in the city. After years of word-of-mouth in Vegas, the cocktail moved into a 12-ounce can — engineered to protect the recipe, not replace it. Same profile, same balance, anywhere it travels.
Born in Las Vegas, the drink was created by Rhonda Chapman, a no-nonsense local woman with nearly 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Rhonda's career includes more than 36 years behind the bar at one of the greatest places in Las Vegas. Celebrities, athletes, politicians, CEOs, and Vegas elites have all enjoyed RhondaRitas. They all have become fans of Rhonda and her drink.
The list of admirers is impressive and continues to grow. US Presidents have thrown back RhondaRitas. Baseball legends love the drink. Other devotees include NFL and NHL Hall-of-Famers, pro wrestlers, pro golfers, and tennis stars. Several Hollywood movie stars have also become devotees of the RhondaRita.
The RhondaRita was born in 2010. Rhonda created it at home for her late husband, Rick. Rick liked refreshing cocktails at the end of a long day, and margaritas were one of his favorites. He was always asking Rhonda to make him a signature margarita.
Over the course of a few months, she perfected a recipe for him. Every day, with every pour, it was as if she were saying, I love you. He left his lasting impression on the cocktail by being accredited for coining the name, "RhondaRita".
The recipe remained secret for months—only Rhonda knew how to make a RhondaRita. Eventually, it dawned on Rhonda that her special drink might work well elsewhere in the Las Vegas Valley, where summertime temperatures reach 120 degrees. She'd noticed that after long hours spent in these conditions, men and women would be desperate for refreshment. They needed something cool. Something sweet. Rhonda had just the elixir.
With more than 36 years in hospitality, she knew exactly how to make customers feel special. She was also an established industry insider—her father worked for some of the biggest casino magnates in town, and she followed his lead. RhondaRita was her way of leaving her own legacy with the city.
Rhonda started mixing the drink for public consumption in 2011.
The RhondaRita was an instant hit. Patrons lucky enough to be at her bar would order RhondaRitas as if they knew they might not be back for months. Starting the day and ending the day with a RhondaRita was a common theme. Rhonda, her nametag proudly identifying her as the woman behind the beverage, served them all with a smile.
Years passed. The legend of RhondaRita grew.
Finally, around 2018, a long-time supporter collaborated with Rhonda to share the RhondaRita with the world. The legendary cocktail comes to you served in 12-ounce cans and is nearly identical to the one Rhonda makes behind her bar; the only things missing are fresh wedges of lemon and lime.
Every can captures the effervescence and creative inspiration of a true icon in the world of Las Vegas hospitality.
Polaroids
Documented along the way.
21+ Please drink responsibly.
