"First date idea — who can drink more panera d*ath lemonade": Social Media Reacts to Allegedly Lethal Panera Charged Lemonade

Ally Perry • Writer and Editor

Dec 8, 2023 11:00 AM EST

I truly believe that one of the best reasons for American patriotism is the US tendency to create the most insane yet cheerfully commercialized beverages known to man. Not to sound like a coffee snob, but there is nowhere else in the world where a 24oz liquefied dessert with twenty different flavors of syrup and one shot of espresso is considered a totally acceptable breakfast drink.

Approximately 85% of the US population consumes at least one caffeinated beverage a day, and the food service industry seem to be constantly coming up with inventive ways to ensure that it stays that way. By far the most notorious product on the market right now is Panera Bread's Charged Lemonade, a refreshing cold drink that boasts a terrifying 390 milligrams of caffeine if you order a large (in comparison, a small cup of black coffee contains about 80-100mg of caffeine).

Ever since the lemonade was first made available last year, customers have been going viral with their warnings about the power of this self-described "ultimate energy drink". As if that wasn't enough, Panera has also been hit with two wrongful-death lawsuits related to it.

What with the internet's morbid sense of humor, it's no surprise that there have been plenty of humorous reactions to this deceptive drink. Whatever you do, don't start using it as a mixer.