Lemonade is the ultimate summer drink, giving you refreshment while still being a fun drink with a sweet and sour balance. Lemonade is found at almost every store or even on your street with kids trying to make some extra money. But on a hot summer day, where do you go to get the perfect lemonade to cool you down?

Fellow junior Halena Hill and I tried five different lemonades to determine the best one. Both Hill and I are not fans of most sodas and are avid water drinkers, but we are fans of a good lemonade on a hot summer day. 

We ranked them on price, the best price for the amount given (1 being bad, ten outstanding). They were also rated on a sweetness scale (1 being not at all to 10 being too sweet). Then the rank looked based on the overall aesthetic the lemonade gave (1 being bad, ten being the best). Lastly, the overall rating (1 being terrible, 10 being the best lemonade ever). 

5. Starbucks 

Price ($3.24): 1/10 

Sweetness: 2/10

Look: 6/10

Overall Taste: 3/10 

Our take: 

“It tasted like water with a weird aftertaste, but it did have a pretty ombre in the cup.” Hill 

“It tastes like an elementary school lemonade stand. It was so expensive for the tiniest cup in the world.” McGowan

4. Sonic 

Price ($1.23): 10/10

Sweetness: 3/10

Look: 6/10 

Overall Taste: 6/10 

Our take: 

“It’s sourer, but there is still an aftertaste.” Hill

“It has more taste than Starbucks, but still not a lot. But I would still consider it refreshing.” McGowan

3. Dutch Bros 

Price ($3.15): 3/10  

Sweetness: 4/10 

Look: 1/10

Overall: 7/10

Our take: 

“Not as good as the top ones, but it still tastes weird. But the overall presentation is not great, and it looks like water” Hill.

“I personally still did not think it has many flavors, but if syrups were added to it like there usually are, it would taste better,” McGowan said

2.  Salad and Go

Price ($1): 10/10 

Sweetness: 5/10

Look: 7/10

Overall: 8/10 

Our take: 

“It’s the cheapest. You can’t go wrong, but I prefer the frozen strawberry lemonade.” Hill 

“It tasted like lemonade, with a good balance of sweet and sour. It was the biggest cup we got for the lowest price.” McGowan

1. Simply 

Price: $2 (8/10) 

Sweetness: 6/10 

Look: 9/10 

Overall: 8/10 

Our take: 

“It’s overall just a classic. You can’t go wrong with it unless it expires.” Hill

“A little pulpy for my taste, but I still really enjoyed it. It is also the easiest lemonade to find because it is a brand name lemonade. We got it from the gas station. As Halena said, you can’t go wrong with it.” McGowan

Final thoughts: 

“The sweet and sour combination in lemonade is symbolic of the summer. You can always go with Simply lemonade, and it will be reliable. It’s an OG. But Salad and Go is also an excellent option in that area, but the Simply is easiest to find at a grocery store or gas station.” Hill 

“I could drink all these lemonades but Starbucks, and I would be content. But Simply is the way to go. It tastes delicious and is very convenient, as well as if you get it at the grocery store, you can get it in a bigger container making it cheaper and easier for the next time you want some.” McGowan

Lemonade is a staple to drink every summer. Hopefully, this can help you decide when you need the sweet and sour refreshing flavor.