Nothing washes down a salty fast-food burger and fries quite like asweet, creamy milkshake.
Enjoyed plain or topped with whipped cream and a cherry, a strawberry shake always hits the spot.
Although making a strawberry shake seems pretty straightforward, that’s not always the case.
Photo: Shutterstock. Design: Eat This, Not That!
Each fast-food chain has its own way of blending up this cold, fruity drink.
Not every major fast-food chain offers a strawberry flavor, but several do.
I recently tried five different options from four popular chains to help determine which is the best.
Photo: Brittany Natale, Eat This, Not That!
McDonald’s
I’m a big fan of McDonald’s menu.
The strawberry milkshakes from here are, unfortunately, another story.
I spent $5.59 in New York City for a small-size shake that proved to be a big disappointment.
Photo: Brittany Natale, Eat This, Not That!
The texture of the shake looked loose and thin and the color was a saturated pink.
It didn’t look at all like its eye-catching photo on the restaurant’s website.
The taste:Shockingly unpleasant.
Photo: Brittany Natale, Eat This, Not That!
It had an artificial strawberry flavor that left a sugary, chemical aftertaste.
Immediately following the first sip, I shook my head in disbelief that it didn’t taste better.
Frustrated with the idea of McDonald’s having not-that-great milkshakes, I had my boyfriend taste it, too.
Photo: Brittany Natale, Eat This, Not That!
“Oh,” he paused after taking a sip.
“This is really, really bad.
It tastes what you’d imagine a cartoon strawberry to taste likefake.”
Photo: Brittany Natale, Eat This, Not That!
(Seriously, every Chick-fil-A location I’ve visited is in tip-top shape!)
So, I had high hopes for its strawberry milkshake.
The shake’s color was slightly confusing.
It was an extremely pale pink and had me wondering why it wasn’t more of a saturated hue.
The texture was rich and smooth, with no uneven ice bits.
The taste:A very faint strawberry flavor with an overpowering aftertaste of milk and butter.
I found myself craving more of a fruity flavor but instead got only a hint of it.
That’s funny because this shake had a prominent buttery edge to it.
This makes sense as I left Shake Shack thinking that the shake had a homemade or classic diner feel.
The quality was top-notch.
I dished out $6.29 for this shake, which I would definitely not hesitate to get again.
The look:Very light in color.
It was served in a clear cup with a flat top and a green plastic straw.
The texture was rich, creamy, and consistent, with no presence of ice chunks or crystals.
There was an option to add whipped cream for a small fee, but I decided to skip.
This shake is also not too sweet or heavy.
While some shakes can make you feel overly or uncomfortably full afterward, this one doesn’t.
It’s hand-spun using a blend of doughnut-flavored frozen custard, real strawberry frosting, and rainbow sprinkles.
The shake’s texture was thick and creamy, and featured crunchy bits of rainbow sprinkles mixed in throughout.
The taste:Out of this world!
First, I thought the strawberry frosting drizzle on top was unnecessary as it made some sips overly sweet.
Second, this shake is only available for a limited time.
What’s the point of finding an amazing milkshake if you could’t order it whenever you want?
Shake Shack, if you’re reading, make this one permanent.
The restaurant’s strawberry milkshake was everything you’d want in a shake and then some.
I paid $5.69 for this shake that I can’t wait to have again.
There’s also an option to add whipped cream, which I declined.
The taste:In one word: Incredible.
It’s a must-try, if you haven’t already.
