Milkshakes, burgers and fries make up a trifecta of perfect indulgence in the fast food game, and knowing which chain covets the best fast food milkshake is important if you’re going to maximize your milkshake enjoyment potential.
Is there anything better than a creamy, cold milkshake with a side of fries on a hot, summer day? The elements comingle and make the taste buds dance with a raucous delight especially if you’re engaging in the unparalleled fry-dunking phenomenon.
Before we get to the good stuff (and figure out the best fast food milkshake), let’s take a peek into the history, and what’s expected of a milkshake.
What is a Milkshake?
Is it a drink? A dessert or…a version of ice cream?
It’s anything you want it to be, and that’s the best part, the power of a milkshake’s ability to adapt, and add varying ingredients that take it to many different milkshake playgrounds.
It starts with a base of ice cream and milk, that when prepared to the zenith of it’s potential, engages in a silky smooth dance that teeters on the edge without fully committing to either a full-blown beverage or ice cream dessert.
History of Fast Food Milkshakes
To date, milkshakes have a semi-short history as a beverage with roots that go back to at least the late 1800’s during which the term ‘milkshake” was used for the first time in an ad. The term referenced an alcoholic whiskey drink made from eggs and whiskey primarily, but it was more reminiscent of eggnog.
As technology evolved and introduced new capabilities along the way, so did the milkshake reach daring new heights with each invention made, leading us to it’s current form.
The early versions were made with just crushed ice, milk, sugar, and whatever flavorings were on hand.
By the 1900’s, syrups were being used to sweeten the beverage, upping the ante, and opening up a whole new realm of deliciously sinful possibilities.
It was 1922, that things really shook out, in terms of the evolution of the milkshake and the Frosty beverage reached a crescendo in a most magical way.
Walgreens employee, Ivar “Pop” Coulson, took the chain’s malted milk drink recipe made popular by William Horlick in 1887, and altered it by adding a few scoops of ice cream. It would become one of Walgreen’s most popular soda fountain drinks (at the time, the best fast food milkshake) and help create an even better milkshake.
Steven Popawlski, also created a piece of equipment that would revolutionize not only the way that we do things in the kitchen or restaurant but milkshake-wise, it was a gamechanger. Before the bottom motor blender came onto the scene, milkshakes were shaken by hand.
The blender would enhance the consistency of the milkshake, giving it the oomph we didn’t know we wanted, or needed.
The 50’s though is considered by far, the golden era for the milkshake as this is the heyday that merged sweet treats and social get-togethers, and most probably the time for the best fast food milkshake to take full effect. Automated machines were also being used to speed up production at chains like, McDonald’s and diners.
America’s love affair with the milkshake is far from over as chains are constantly trying something new; a flavor, a mix-in, anything to gain the distinction of being the chain to have the best fast food milkshake.
Which Elements Make the Best Fast Food Milkshake?
The best fast food milkshakes contain fresh ingredients and use a simple base of just ice cream, and milk.
Many fast food chains that mass produce their product use additives for storage purposes, coloring, and flavoring which can pollute an otherwise simple drink. It also exposes consumers to questionable ingredients.
Additional incorporations or mix-ins should ideally be fresh, never frozen, and not contain extraneous (or any) chemicals.
There are two terms used to describe how a milkshake is prepared; handspun and machine-made. Handspun means that a bit more care has gone into making the dairy-based beverage, and the milkshake is prepared using a blender manned by a person, versus a machine mixing everything and oozing the contents into a cup. If it says “handspun” you’re on track to finding the best fast food milkshake.
The Best Fast Food Milkshakes
To help you decide (and guide you) on which chain has the best fast food milkshake experience, we’ve ranked them in order from worst to best:
13. Burger King
Price: $2.49-3.99
Handspun
BK has offered milkshakes since the chain first opened in the 50’s but that doesn’t mean their milkshakes can handle criticism from milkshake aficionados that know their stuff.
Common complaints include; the whipped cream topping as having an odd, cloying taste, un-mixed syrup, and a questionable amount of ingredients in the mix. Twenty to be exact. Propylene Glycol Monoesters, and Diglycerides, to name two of them…doesn’t sound appealing, does it?
Overall, BK’s take on the milkshake is standard fare, and definitely not the best fast food milkshake. The price point is the area where they shine.
Flavors Offered: Strawberry, Chocolate, and Vanilla. Seasonal or limited editions; like Red Velvet, and the Oreo Cookie Shake.
12. Five Guys Burgers And Fries
Price: $3.15-5.35
Handspun
It took almost 30 years for 5 Guys to introduce milkshakes to their menu, and it wouldn’t be until 2014 that the chain finally buckled under pressure to deliver results. The chain had been putting off adding milkshakes to the menu for fear of breaching their golden rule to never use “frozen” ingredients in their establishment.
We’re glad they did because 5 Guys has a whole roster of handspun milkshake varieties where all ingredients are mixed in a blender on the spot.
Every shake starts with a vanilla base that can be customized further with mix-ins, at no extra cost, and an astonishing amount of options with over 40,000 possible combinations.
The price may be among the steepest of the bunch but with the rigorous shake-making training they give to employees, and the free add-on’s – it’s worth the extra few bucks to enjoy a top tier milkshake.
Flavors Offered: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Bacon, Banana, Coffee, Peanut Butter, Salted Caramel
11. Arby’s
Price: $2.79-5.49
Machine-Made
Arby’s uses real ice cream, milk and Ghirardelli chocolate syrup to lay a triumphant foundation for their shakes.
The texture is thick but with a sippable consistency, which as you may know, is not an easy feat.
The overall taste of the ice cream, whipped cream, and drizzled chocolate syrup mixes into each sip and lends itself to a more classic milkshake experience…surprisingly not one defiled by sickeningly sweet syrups.
The uber popular, Jamocha Shake has a dedicated following that swears by it’s superiority. The Jamocha fuses chocolate and mocha flavorings but is a real calorie busting bonanza so you may want to make it a rare indulgence.
Flavors Offered: Vanilla, Chocolate, Jamocha Shake, Mint Chocolate. Seasonal: Candy Cane Swirl Shake, Orange Cream Shake, Pumpkin Spice Shake.
10. Checkers/Rally’s
Price: $2.69-3.49
Machine Made
This chain offers the three standard flavors with the addition of some crazy concoctions that include bits of candy intermingled with numerous flavors and indulgent ingredients.
The consistency of every shake at Checker’s is less thick than the average bear and more akin to melted ice cream.
A few things about the flavors – the strawberry flavor tastes suspiciously like Nesquik, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as Strawberry Quik is downright awesome.
The sleeper hit here has to be, the Banana flavored shake. It’s like sipping on a banana cream pie, and if that floats your boat…that’s all you really need to know.
Flavors Offered: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana, Caramel Cheesecake Twix Crunch Loaded Milkshake
9. Whataburger
Price: $2.89-3.89
Machine Made
This shake has a thick, creamy texture and is more reminiscent of a homemade shake rather than machine-made at a fast food chain, even though…it IS machine made.
This chain is always coming up with seasonal flavors that intrigue the senses, like Salted Caramel but if you find one you really like, the downside is that it won’t be around for too long.
Whataburger also offers malts, which leads to some confusion on the difference between a malt and milkshake. A malt has the same ingredient base but malted milk powder is added to create a richer, sweeter beverage experience.
Flavors offered: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry. Limited-run flavors like; the Dr. Pepper milkshake this past January, and the Peaches & Cream shake.
8. Dairy Queen
Price: $2.99-4.59
Machine Made
Dairy Queen’s milkshake experience varies from location to location, with the quality riding on whoever is making it at the time, and how well they gauge their ratio of syrup to the rest of the ingredients.
We’ve experienced both worlds at DQ – we’ve had perfectly delicious milkshakes at this establishment – but also, abysmal takes with the syrup used to flavor it, barely mixed in and sullying the whole shake affair.
When it’s good, it’s top-notch but when it’s sub-par – you’ll wish you spent your money elsewhere.
A big plus is that since DQ is an ice cream shop, there are many toppings on hand and you can add various mix-in’s to turn up the flavor on your milkshake.
Flavors offered: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry. Banana Shake, Peanut Butter Shake, Hot Fudge Shake, Caramel Shake, Caramel Mocha Shake. Seasonal Flavors like; Under The Rainbow Shake.
7. McDonald’s
Price: $1.99-2.99
Machine Made
With three main flavors to choose from; Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberry – the McDonald’s milkshake, though not the flashiest, can get the job done in a pinch.
It has a creamy, smooth texture with a thinner than average consistency and the standard flavors don’t have many bells and whistles like add-ons unlike the McFlurry.
It comes simply served in a standard cup, a dollop of whipped cream and a straw in tow. There’s something to be said about the simplicity of the experience.
And if you pair a fry with the vanilla shake, you can get the ultimate matrimony of flavors for a pretty fair price.
Since the long-running joke is that the ice cream machine is always down at McDonald’s, to a ridiculous degree, you have to take that into account when judging McDonald’s status as the place to go for a milkshake.
Flavors Offered: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana. Seasonal; The Shamrock Shake
6. In-N-Out Burger
Price: $2.80
Handspun
In-N-Out advertises the fact that they use real ice cream in their milkshakes, and just a few ingredients – which means it comes without an ingredient list chock full of additives. A huge plus.
A solid shake experience that has a very rich taste, but manages to not be an overly sweet experience. It’s nice because your taste buds don’t overdose on that sugary, artificial taste like with what’s associated with a more machine-made shake or a chain that relies heavily on syrups.
There is also a not so “secret menu” where you can order a Neapolitan Shake, where every flavor is combined to make one super duper milkshake.
Flavors offered: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry. Secret Menu: Neapolitan
5. Chick-fil-A
Price: $2.75-3.15
Handspun
Handspun, with soft-serve ice cream and whole milk as a base, Chick-fil-A’s milkshake is a surprisingly robust contender.
It hits as a very creamy, classic take with a lusciously sweet but not over the top flavoring. The shake is another one that’s reminiscent of melted ice cream, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Flavors offered: Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Cookies & Cream. Seasonal: Peach in the Summer, Holiday Cookie, Peppermint Chip, Autumn Spice.
4. White Castle
Price; $2.59-3.99
Machine Made
White Castle has been around for a very long time so they’ve had more than enough time to perfect the milkshake. They offer both milkshakes and parfaits with the discernible difference between the two being, more sophisticated flavors offered in the parfait.
The milkshake is not as heavy as some others chains, it’s a lighter more sippable beverage that still retains it’s allure regardless of how heavy or thin it is.
The real showstopper is the Chocolate flavor which pairs exceptionally with White Castle’s fries. The chocolate is silky smooth with a recognizable ice cream base.
Flavors Offered: Vanilla, Chocolate Seasonal: Caramel Butter Shake Parfait, Oreo Cookie Shake Parfait
3. Wendy’s
Price: $.99-3.19
Machine Made
Yes, it’s not technically a milkshake but the Frosty has all the same elements of a classic milkshake, and differs mostly by that of consistency. It features a more frozen and thicker texture but if you wait for it to melt, you’re right on the money (if that’s your bag).
This super popular ice-cold dessert beverage is one of America’s favorite’s especially when paired with a Biggie burger and fries.
Flavors Offered: Chocolate, Vanilla Seasonal: Strawberry, Peppermint
2. Steak N Shake
Price: $3.69
Hand Spun
It’s right in the name, so this chain better be on point with their milkshakes if they’re going to be advertising it, front and center.
Well, fear not because Steak N’ Shake has been doing this since 1934…and with so many flavor options available – it’ll make a shake lover’s head spin. It can be hard to choose just one flavor because there are simply too many delicious sounding options.
This chain’s milkshake is top-tier quality, and hand-spun with 17 flavors to choose from including; Nutella, Birthday Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and M&M’s.
The milkshake comes served in a glass if you’re eating inside, and provides the classic milkshake experience reminiscent to drinking one in the 1950’s.
Steak N’ Shake comes in at a close second, right behind the best fast food milkshake.
Flavors Offered: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Nutella, S’mores, Birthday Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Oreo Cookies and Cream, Oreo Mint Cookie, Cotton Candy, Reese’s Peanut Butter, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, Butterfinger, Kit Kat, Snickers.
1. Sonic
Price: $6.45
Handspun
The best fast food milkshake goes to Sonic with their many delicious varieties and flavors.
Yes, the price is on the high end of the spectrum but since this tastes like more than a quick-service milkshake, the quality outshines the competition and remind us more of diner-type fare.
Sonic also offers Sonic Blasts which are like glorified milkshake’s but with a more ice cream featured base, and mix-ins aplenty.
Flavors Offered: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Hot Fudge, Caramel, Fresh Banana, Peanut Butter, Banana Cream Pie, Oreo Cheesecake, Strawberry Cheesecake.
If you’re looking for the best fast food milkshake, especially if you’re in a pinch – hopefully this guide will be valuable because honestly, zeroing in on the best fast food milkshake is one of the finer accomplishments you can make in life…
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