Ranking 26 milkshakes from 14 fast food chains; Which shake is best and perfect for this fall heatwave? (2024)

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Milkshakes definitely aren't just for summer. There's reasons you can find them at fast food chains 12 months of the year -- their deliciousness and popularity.

And milkshakes are the perfect treat for this fall heatwave with temperatures in the upper 80s Monday through Wednesday, punctuated by a forecasted high of 89 degrees Tuesday.

We visited 14 fast food eateries throughout Northeast Ohio to find out who whips up the best milkshakes, including standbys like McDonald's and Arby's to trendy Shake Shack.We sampled 26 shakes and they're ranked below, from worst to best.

Cleveland's Best reporters Brenda Cain and Yadi Rodriguez tried each restaurant's vanilla shake, because -- let's be honest -- if you get the vanilla right, all the shakes should be tasty.

We also tasted and ranked a second shake flavor at all but two of the locations.The shake that finished No. 1 is the vanilla milkshake from Steak 'n Shake.

Do you agree with the rankings? Tell us your favorite fast food shake in the comments.

No. 26 McDonald's, Vanilla Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

We were disappointed by the thin, almost watery consistency. The incredible sweetness did nothing to enhance the imitation vanilla flavor of this milkshake. The one plus was the generous amount of whipped cream.

No. 25 Dairy Queen, Cake Batter Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Holy chocolate overload! As much as we love chocolate, this shake was just too much. In addition to the already super-sweetness of the mix, it had cake and frosting mixed in throughout, making it almost impossible to get down.

No. 24 Sonic, Vanilla Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

The whipped cream was the best part of this shake, made from a mix. The imitation flavor was evident, and it was very thin and runny.

No. 23 Burger King, Vanilla Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Though thicker, this vanilla shake was very sweet with imitation vanilla flavor. Clearly made from a mix.

No. 22 Rally's, Strawberry Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

This shake reminded us of strawberry Nesquik with its artificial flavor. Kids will like it. Adults, not so much.

No. 21 Five Guys, Bacon Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Bacon in a milkshake? Yeah why not? We tried it but we weren't fans. The shake itself was overly sweet. They crumbled one slice of bacon and mixed it into the shake, but it was hard to detect when drinking the shake. Choose another flavor.

No. 20 Dairy Queen, Vanilla Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Dairy Queen managed to serve us a vanilla milkshake that was way too sweet, with an imitation vanilla flavor. It was thick though.

No. 19 Wendy's, Chocolate Frosty

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Is a Frosty a milkshake? It's debatable so we added it to the taste test for argument's sake.

Sure, let your kids dip their fries in this concoction but don't order it if you are looking for a good milkshake. The chocolate taste is decent, but it smacks of a mix and it melts quickly.

No. 18 Sonic, Oreo Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

This shake went through the straw a little too easily because the Oreos are so pulverized and mixed throughout, you don't get much cookie flavor. It did come with Oreo cookies sprinkled on top with whipped cream and a cherry.

No. 17 Rally's, Vanilla Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

This vanilla shake is standard, and bordered on boring. While not runny, you didn't need a spoon either.

No. 16 Wendy's, Vanilla Frosty

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

We believe Frosty's are supposed to be chocolate. That said, the vanilla version has a sweet and creamy vanilla flavor that is pleasant, but not something you are going to rave about.

No. 15 Burger King, Twix Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

There's a generous amount of Twix candy pieces in this shake but the shake base was so thin, they went straight to the bottom. If you want to enjoy the candy taste throughout the shake you'll have to keep stirring to keep them mixed in. You do get a generous helping of whipped cream.

No. 14 Five Guys, Vanilla Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Made the old-fashioned way -- with real ice cream and milk -- we were disappointed when a very thin, almost milky shake was delivered to our table.

In addition to the disappointing consistency, it was overly sweet, with a strong vanilla flavor.

No. 13 Chick-fil-A, Vanilla Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

One of the few smooth and thick shakes with a mellow, true vanilla flavor from our journey.

No. 12 Arby's, Chocolate Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Surprisingly, Arby's uses real ice cream to make their really thick shakes, which they cover with whipped cream and top with chocolate sauce. The chocolate shake is not too rich, and reminded Cain of old-fashioned shakes from her childhood.

No. 11 Chick-fil-A, Cookies and Cream Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

There was no mistaking what kind of shake we ordered. The milkshake was loaded with tons of cookie pieces blended throughout the mild vanilla base. While it wasn't the thickest we tried, it still stood up to the straw test.

No. 10 Swensons, Vanilla Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

The carhop delivered an extremely thick shake with a mild vanilla flavor. It was pleasant and not too sweet. Just right.

No. 9 Shake Shack, Vanilla Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

It was evident this shake was made with real ice cream since it was a mix of smooth base peppered with clumps of unblended ice cream. The consistency just added to the old-fashioned flavor. The rich vanilla flavor was not too sweet.

No. 8 Arby's, Vanilla Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Made with real ice cream, this thick shake delivered a mild homemade taste. It was not too sweet. Best of all, it was topped with lots of whipped cream.

No. 7 Shake Shack, Salted Caramel Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

This shake lived up to its name. You can taste all the flavors, none of which are overwhelming. One sip delivers a slight hint of salt, a touch of caramel and mild vanilla flavors. A smooth, rich, thick and creamy shake.

No. 6 Hardee's, Vanilla Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

This old-fashioned and hand-dipped shake was thick and creamy. The vanilla flavor was rich but not overly sweet. We appreciated the generous amount of whipped cream.

No. 5 Swensons, Pineapple and Orange

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Remember the Creamsicle of your childhood? If you loved them, this is the combination for you. The fruity orange base is enhanced with plenty of chunks of real pineapple blended throughout. You can taste both flavors. While it packs plenty of flavor, this shake is not overly sweet.

No. 4 Steak 'n Shake, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

This thick and rich vanilla shake was full of generously-sized candy pieces. We had to use a spoon to enjoy this one because the candy continually clogged our straws.

No. 3 Culver's, Chocolate and Strawberry Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

If you love chocolate-covered strawberries, you will be heading to Culver's again and again. Large chunks of real strawberry are drenched in a creamy and rich chocolate shake. It is served with a spoon for a reason. This was easily one of the thickest shakes we drank, er, ate.

No. 2 Culver's, Vanilla Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

The second-best vanilla shake we tasted was from Culver's. Super thick (be sure to grab a spoon for this one) and just sweet enough. The rich vanilla flavor was almost unmatched.

No. 1 Steak 'n Shake, Vanilla Shake

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

Steak 'n Shake has nailed the recipe for a fresh, sweet vanilla shake that delivers a great balance of flavor.

Made with hand-dipped ice cream and real milk, this shake has a smooth and creamy flavor that is rich without being over-the-top.Finished with a generous amount of whipped cream and a cherry, this shake is worth seeking out your closest Steak 'n Shake.

Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

More fast food rankings

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Ranking French fries from 24 fast food chains in Greater Cleveland; No. 1 will surprise many

Ultimate onion rings rankings from 11 fast food joints in Greater Cleveland

Brenda Cain and Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

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