Turns Out, Shirley Temple Wasn't A Fan Of Her Namesake Mocktail

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Few beverages shimmer with the same nostalgic glow as the Shirley Temple, a sweet, fizzy soft drink named after Hollywood's golden child. With its ruby-red hue, playful bubbles, and signature maraschino cherry, the Shirley Temple has long symbolized youthful sophistication, letting kids join the ritual of cocktail hour while their parents raised glasses nearby. Ironically, the star herself despised the concoction. Later in life, during a 1985 NPR interview, Temple dismissed her namesake beverage, calling it a "saccharine, icky drink". She resented the way it tethered her name to childhood, especially as she fought to move into more mature roles.

The drink's origin story traces back to 1930s Los Angeles, when celebrity haunts sought festive options for their youngest diners. Bartenders mixed ginger ale with grenadine, crowned it with a maraschino cherry, and unwittingly created a sensation. Several establishments — Chasen's and the Brown Derby in Hollywood and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu — laid claim to the invention. At the height of her stardom, when her ringlets and dimples embodied Hollywood innocence, the Shirley Temple became an instant classic. In regard to the mocktail's legacy, Temple reminded NPR, "I had nothing to do with it."

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Shirley Temple's disdain for the drink went beyond personal preference. It was a matter of protecting her identity. When a company called Soda Pop Kids tried to market a bottled Shirley Temple soda in the 1980s, she fiercely pushed back. Temple told the Los Angeles Times, "I really am a tigress when it comes to making sure that there is quality control with products that have my name on them." The company argued Shirley Temple sodas had become ubiquitous enough for commercial use, but the courts ultimately sided with Temple. Even after her death in 2014, numerous brands have continued to capitalize on her name. In October 2024, 7Up released a limited-edition Shirley Temple flavor. Bloom Nutrition features a Shirley Temple variety in its Bloom Pop prebiotic soda lineup.

Today, the Shirley Temple still reigns as the queen of mocktails. Despite its popularity, many disagree on the proper Shirley Temple recipe. Some swear by lemon-lime soda, others by ginger ale, and plenty by a mix of both — always with a splash of sweet, pomegranate-colored grenadine and the indispensable cherry. In an age of elaborate, often pretentious craft cocktails, the Shirley Temple proves that the simplest creations can outlast their inspirations — and transcend their disapproval.