Mayo And Coffee: Do People Actually Enjoy This Ghastly Combination?

Thanks to social media, all sorts of food trends have hit the mainstream, many of them focused on coffee. While the Instagram-famous Dalgona coffee was a hit for all the right reasons, other experimental coffee trends have fallen much flatter. One example of this is the trend of adding mayo to coffee.

The trend first gained popularity when quarterback Will Levis starred in a TikTok video posted by CBS Sports. In the video, Levis adds a large amount of mayo to his coffee, stirs it, then takes a sip. He then gives a nod of approval as the clip ends. Such a video was bound to cause a stir, and many people subsequently added mayo to their coffee to see if the football player was onto something. Turns out, he wasn't. Just about everyone who has posted themselves trying the combination did not enjoy it. This is for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the mayo does not mix well; it remains separate from the liquid, lending the drink a strange appearance. Secondly, the combination simply does not taste good which is hardly a surprise.

In a later video that was posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, by the NFL, Levis explained that the whole thing was a joke. He had tried adding mayo to coffee before but did not make a regular habit of it. Given the reception this food trend received, I'd suggest that the rest of us do the same.

Purists shudder at the idea of anything but milk being added to coffee, but many others are happy to continue experimenting with the beverage. One experiment that has garnered even more headlines than the coffee-mayo trend is the practice of adding olive oil to coffee.

While adding mayo to coffee was met with pretty much universal dismissal, adding olive oil to coffee is a somewhat divisive trend. Those who are in favor of adding extra-virgin olive oil to their coffee point out that the oil introduces texture and flavor to the coffee along with several nutrients. The oil can help milk froth more too. (The fact that it actually blends with the coffee means that, in my opinion, it is already a superior addition compared to mayo, although that's not saying much.)

Those who are against this trend hold up Starbucks' failed Oleato range of coffees (which were infused with olive oil) as proof of everything wrong with it. People said the olive oil dominated the flavor of these coffees and left an unappetizing greasiness in the mouth. (When The Takeout tasted three Oleato coffees, we were pretty repulsed too.) What's more, customers reported that Starbucks' Oleato range had a laxative effect. Unsurprisingly, Starbucks soon discontinued its Oleato range. Given the reviews of both this trend and the mayo-coffee trend, I'd suggest sticking with cream next time you want to add something to your coffee.