What’s the difference between Arnold Palmer and Shirley Temple drink?

The other key difference is alcohol: neither drink contains any, but they are often confused with cocktail orders because both are classic, named drinks with a specific recipe people take seriously.

Arnold Palmer was a real person, the American professional golfer, and the drink named after him is simply half iced tea, half lemonade. The story goes that he ordered this combination so often it became associated with him, and eventually venues just started calling it by his name. Some bars offer a "John Daly," which is the same drink with vodka added.

Shirley Temple was also a real person, the child film star who became one of Hollywood's biggest names in the 1930s. The drink named after her was created so she could have something festive and non-alcoholic at events where adults were drinking. It is ginger ale or lemon-lime soda, grenadine (a sweet red syrup made from pomegranate), and a splash of orange juice, topped with a maraschino cherry. It is sweet, bright red, and unmistakably a children's classic.

So the simplest way to remember the difference: Arnold Palmer is tart and tea-forward, Shirley Temple is sweet and fizzy. One tastes like a summer afternoon on a golf course, the other like a birthday party circa 1987.