Elvis Presley's Favorite On-Stage Drink May Surprise You

While most Elvis Presley fans are familiar with his love for fried peanut butter & banana sandwiches, the King was a big fan of another indulgence, too. Whenever Presley took to the stage throughout the 1970s, you could usually see a full jar of Gatorade somewhere around him. Allegedly the King really loved this drink, the orange flavor especially, and some fans even wondered if the brand sponsored Presley because he drank it so much. As far as we know, he was not, Presley was just a really big fan of the beverage, and he wasn't shy about sharing his love for it either. 

During one of his shows in 1970, Presley famously said into the microphone: "This is Gatorade — in case you want to aid your gator." At another show, he also claimed he thought the drink "worked 10x faster than water." There's some truth to that last quote, too, as Gatorade is literally made to provide better levels of hydration, so it is a great choice for a performer. 

Gatorade actually got its start in college football right around the time of Elvis Presley's heyday. Scientists invented this vibrant line of beverages in 1965 for The University of Florida's football team, intended to further quench the thirst of players who were playing in the intense Florida heat. The beverage contained special salts and sugars that aided the body in digesting and processing the liquid, all of which helped the consumer feel hydrated fast. 

This might explain why Gatorade was one of Elvis' favorite drinks, as his high-energy performances demanded proper hydration, which Gatorade could certainly provide. While the recipe for the drink has changed since that time, the goal of the brand remains the same. Aside from this sweet, electrolyte-filled beverage, Presley was a big fan of a particular bottled water brand too: Mountain Valley Spring Water. The King was not much of a heavy drinker, but he would often drink these waters on tour, and he loved them so much that empty bottles of this water are now even on display in Graceland.

Elvis was a well-known lover of food and drink both on and off the stage, often indulging in anything from a stacked cheeseburger to a sweet mound of banana puddings. When the King wasn't sipping Gatorade on stage, he may have been in his home in Memphis, Tennessee. There Krystal hamburgers were one of his favorite fast food indulgences, but he also frequented McDonald's, among other chains. Another Memphis-based favorite of Presley was a restaurant known as Coletta's Italian Restaurant, where he ordered their famous barbecue pizza at least once a week.

When Elvis was at home, his love for food didn't stop there. As his former private chef Mary Jenkins Langston shared with The New York Times, the Southern-born singer loved big meals, especially those slathered in butter. Biscuits, bacon, and those iconic fried banana sandwiches were some of his favorites, and Langston even remembers Presley sitting in bed with his breakfast tray with butter running down his arms. So, if you want to eat like Elvis, don't skimp on the butter. But if you prefer to drink like a King instead, then pick up a bottle of orange Gatorade.