Delectable treat or fat in a cup? What's going on with that price? Are Chick-fil-A milkshakes
really worth it -- and are you missing out on wild regional flavors you never knew existed?
Don't buy another milkshake from Chick-fil-A until you watch this.
Even if you've never had the chance to try a Chick-fil-A milkshake, it's not too hard
to predict what it will be like once you finally get one. But it is worth noting that it differs
from the typical milkshake in a few particular ways. For starters, they don't actually have ice
cream at their base, but rather the chain's signature Icedream "frozen dairy treat,"
which cannot officially be labeled as ice cream because it doesn't have the amount of butterfat
required by the government to fit the official definition. This also means that they're a little
bit less fattening than ice cream, giving you one more reason to pick one up on your way home.
Another thing that sets Chick-fil-A shakes apart is the fact that they're hand-spun.
This is a fancy way of saying an actual employee is operating the machine that's mixing up your
treat similarly to how they were made during peak milkshake culture in the 1950s. As another bonus,
the chain uses name-brand mix-ins like Hershey's chocolate syrup and Oreo cookies.
Therefore, you can confidently order chocolate or Cookies & Cream
milkshakes with the knowledge that you're getting quality ingredients.
At any point in the year, a visit to one of Chick-fil-A's 2,700-plus locations will
present you with at least four different milkshake flavor options: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry,
and Cookies & Cream. If none of those are particularly your jam, or you're simply looking to
switch things up from last time, you may be lucky enough to find a seasonal shake flavor as well.
Peach and Peppermint Chip are the eatery's respective summer and winter flavors that
customers can expect to return to the menu for a brief time each year, but that's not all. Since
the dessert's debut in 2006, there have been a number of one-and-done limited-edition flavors as
well, including Banana Pudding and Mocha Cookies & Cream. More recently, the chain has tested
a Butterscotch milkshake, as well as an Autumn Spice flavor that's perfect for those that love
all things fall. Both flavors were only available to Chick-fil-A fans in Salt Lake City, Utah. But
with any luck, we'll see these seasonal flavors offered nationwide sometime in the near future.
In addition to being tasty, Chick-fil-A's hand-spun milkshakes have another thing
going for them: their relatively low cost. As reported by DessertMenus.com,
a 14-ounce small shake at a local Chick-fil-A was going for the low price of only $2.69
while upgrading to a 20-ounce large would cost a mere 46 cents more. What a steal!
Unfortunately, that amazing value came to an end earlier this year when the chain announced
that it would be cutting its size offerings in half. As of April 26, 2021, milkshakes would
only be available in a 16 ounce size. This was understandably upsetting to customers,
and to make matters worse, the average price is now $3.99, as reported by MenuAndPrice.com.
Though the deliciousness of a Chick-fil-A milkshake can justify a higher cost to an extent,
it certainly starts adding up if you're ordering them on a regular basis.
So in order to avoid rapidly depleting your savings, you should probably only
treat yourself to one every once in a while.
"Treat yo self."
Chick-fil-A's decision to cut down to only one size of milkshake may not have been beneficial for
our wallets, though it was a bit more helpful in the realm of nutrition. According to Nutritionix,
the calorie count for the chain's large milkshakes ranges between 650 and 790 depending on which of
the four permanent flavors you opt for. Meanwhile, a seasonal variety like Peppermint is even higher.
With only the smaller 16 ounce available now, the restaurant's website lists the total calories for
the shakes as 570 for strawberry, 580 for vanilla, 590 for chocolate, and 630 for Cookies & Cream.
However, the forced cut in calories shouldn't necessarily drive you to order a shake every day.
These treats are also considerably high in sugar and fat, and when
sipping on one while also munching on a chicken sandwich or waffle fries,
you can easily blow through a good portion of your daily recommended intakes in a single meal.
Still, you shouldn't feel guilty indulging in one of these bad boys. And let's face it,
some days, a bit of ice cream -- sorry, frozen dairy treat -- just hits the spot.
"Mmm, yummy.”
A milkshake is never a bad idea. But if forced to choose, we'll be heading to Chick-fil-A for
our dessert more often than some other popular chains. At the end of the day,
it really is a superior sweet that deserves all the praise it's received.
Obviously one of the biggest factors in ensuring that your Chick-fil-A shake experience
is satisfying is which flavor you choose. Some might be fans of Cookies & Cream, while others
will insist that the seasonal Peach outranks them all. Spoon University, for one, argued,
"The best part of [the Peach] shake is that there are real chunks of peach blended into it,
which makes this shake taste like an icy peach pie. The flavor itself is strong,
but not so overbearing that you're choking on extreme peach flavor."
Fans of the humble vanilla shake will also be pleased to know that in a taste test between
Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Dairy Queen, McDonald's, and Wendy's, Insider ranked
Chick-fil-A as the best. Ultimately, you really can't go wrong with any of the milkshakes that
Chick-fil-A has to offer. So go ahead and order one of these scrumptious treats the next time
you're there! You definitely deserve it after patiently waiting in that long drive-thru line.
Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus,
even more Mashed videos about your favorite restaurants are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.