Rhonda Chapman has been a Las Vegas bartender for more than three decades, so making and mixing unique new drinks is practically second nature. But it wasn’t until she brewed up a specialty margarita for her husband that she discovered her signature cocktail—the RhondaRita.
Before long, she was making the bespoke drink not only for her husband, who has since passed away, but for her regular customers at work. Now, more than a decade later, the cocktail has taken off and recently became available to purchase in cans at all area 7-Eleven stores.
Vegas Inc sat down with Chapman to learn more about the Vegas bartender’s ‘RhondaRita’ being sold in 7-Eleven stores, how it got started and where it’s going.
What’s it been like to watch the RhondaRita grow into a retail product?
I knew I was in good hands with this from the beginning. But it’s something new to me and I had to learn from experience. I knew I had the drink. I knew I had the name. But, moving forward, I just didn’t know where else to go with this until I learned down the road. But yes, I’m very, very happy and proud to say today—I know I’m in the 7-Elevens. I got to know the gentlemen that are [executives] of 7-Elevens, that I’ve waited on many times, and was approached one day … and they asked me, “We would love to have your drink in our stores.” That kind of blew me away. … Anything that’s in a store, I guess I didn’t realize how tough it is to do. And all the events I’ve done and all the people that I’ve met have really loved my drink.
What feedback do you hear from consumers?
Well, I’ve been going through a few little events these last couple of weeks, and I’ve gotten a lot of great feedback—very crispy [and] fresh. You can take it anywhere because it’s in a can. I mean, if you want to go on a picnic, you want to go on a boat, you want to go to a concert, you want to go to the Super Bowl—it’s just handy. Get it cold in the can and you’re ready to go.
And the can itself is eye-catching. It’s beautiful. And, hopefully, down the road I can make a couple of different flavors, but this is the original that we’re taking off with. And so far, I’ve been hearing really, really good things about it.
How do you hope to see the RhondaRita continue to grow?
Right now, I know it’s the beginning … but I would like to make a couple more flavors. There’s one that’s called a spicy RhondaRita. And I get asked a lot for that type of drink. And I’ve already got it down. I’ve already made it, I already know what I want to do. The next one: I would like to do a strawberry RhondaRita. Those are the two in my head that I can think about. And if I can get those out, that would be great. And then moving forward, I just want to get it out. I want everybody to enjoy it. I want the experience. … It’s been a long time in the making.
How do you think your late husband would react, seeing how much of a hit the drink you made for him has become?
I know I would see a smile from ear to ear. And he’d probably joke and say, “Well, you know, I’m the one that named it.” … My mother even tells me, she goes, “What’s in it for me? I named you Rhonda.”
As someone who has lived in Las Vegas almost your whole life, what do you think makes the city a good place to launch a product like the RhondaRita?
When I moved here, and I’m a big sports fan, I never would have dreamed that we ever would have a football team here … I never would have dreamed that because we’ve got sportsbooks. But now being here and seeing everything that has grown—hockey, football—I mean, it doesn’t stop. Because we’re 24 hours in the business, you can drink all night, gamble all night.
My drink is a staple now because ... you cannot get it in a casino. I have to make it for you. And now you can get it in a 7-Eleven.
And hopefully down the road, we can get it out in more places. That was my beginning start. There’s so many drinks you can get. But you’re not going to be able to get the
RhondaRita if you went into the Bellagio. You can get a margarita, but you’re not going to get mine.
Finally, what’s it been like to see your own product available on shelves?
When I first found out that it was going in the store, the very first time I went into the 7-Eleven right around the corner, I had to see it for myself. I just couldn’t have imagined it.
I walked in, and I didn’t see it. I’m looking, I’m looking. I’m looking in the beer cooler. I’m looking, and suddenly, it popped right in front of my eyes. It was right in front of me. I mean, my eyes started dripping. I just couldn’t believe it was my drink in the store. You don’t know it till you feel that moment. … And the lady looked at me, she goes, “What?” [and] I go, “That’s my drink.” … The way they displayed it, it was beautiful. It was like, “Wow.” And it was breathtaking.
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