I Sampled 5 Chick-fil-A Milkshakes and Discovered My New Favorite

The Joy of a Classic Milkshake

There's something undeniably joyful about a milkshake. Creamy and cold with a delightful retro diner feel, it's the kind of drink you want to enjoy until the very last drop. A milkshake is the type of treat that's perfect to have any time of year for a moment of sweetness. And few places capture that milkshake magic quite like Chick-fil-A.

Chick-fil-A fans love to pair the brand’s iconic chicken sandwiches and waffle fries with a hand-spun, old-fashioned milkshake. Diners can choose from the core lineup of classic flavors, like vanilla and chocolate, plus limited-time options, including peach, banana pudding, and peppermint, which rotate on and off the menu depending on the season.

Milkshakes at Chick-fil-A have an enthusiastic fan following, and it's easy to see why. The shakes are made with the brand’s proprietary "Icedream" dessert, which is a soft-serve style ice cream, and are topped with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry, which gives them a delightfully old-fashioned feel. Fans of the Atlanta-based chain often debate the best Chick-fil-A milkshake flavor, so to settle the score, I decided to do a head-to-head taste test.

My Experience Tasting Chick-fil-A Milkshakes

I visited my local Chick-fil-A in Southington, Connecticut on a busy Monday afternoon to taste their current milkshake offerings. On a warm July day, I was able to order a total of five milkshakes, including all four of their core flavors: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and cookies and cream. The fast-casual chain also offers seasonal flavors throughout the year, such as Peppermint Chip, Autumn Spice, and Banana Pudding. Beginning in June, Chick-fil-A rolled out their seasonal peach milkshakes, which I also had the opportunity to try.

My husband and mother came along (because who would turn down the opportunity to taste milkshakes for fun?) and we each took notes on what we liked and disliked about each of the five milkshakes. We tried to remain unbiased and not consider our own personal flavor preferences. Instead, we contemplated which milkshakes tasted the best in terms of flavor and texture. We compared our notes and worked together to create a definitive ranking of the best Chick-fil-A milkshakes. Here's how it all went down.

5 Chick-fil-A Milkshake Flavors, Ranked: Worst to Best

5. Chocolate Milkshake

If you couldn't see the color of this shake, there’s a good chance that you wouldn't be able to identify it as chocolate. Does it taste bad? No. But does it taste like a rich, luscious chocolate shake reminiscent of your favorite cocoa-y birthday cake or fudgy ice cream? Also no. This milkshake tasted like the carton of chocolate milk that I got in my elementary school cafeteria. It was pleasant enough, but a bit underwhelming. Chick-fil-A’s chocolate milkshake fell flat on the rich chocolate flavor that chocolate lovers like myself crave, which is why it landed at the bottom of our list.

4. Strawberry Milkshake

Let’s start with the good stuff—this milkshake features real strawberry pieces, which are finely chopped and blended into the creamy drink. It’s a nice touch that adds lots of flavor and color to the cup. However, this flavor was the sweetest that we tasted, bordering on being too sweet. Plus, it had an off-putting cloying aftertaste that didn’t entice us to reach for more.

3. Cookies and Cream Milkshake

This is a solid cookies and cream milkshake. It has plenty of finely chopped chocolate sandwich cookies and the bits are just the right size. You get some texture with each sip, but the cookie pieces aren't so large that they get stuck in the straw. The chocolate flavor was a little underwhelming, and the cookie pieces tasted like a generic, off-brand Oreo. As the milkshake melted, though, the cookies and cream flavor did become more pronounced. While this one could be improved, cookies and cream lovers won’t be disappointed.

2. Vanilla Milkshake

This is everything you want from a fast food vanilla milkshake. It’s thick and creamy with a texture that’s reminiscent of custard. Chick-fil-A’s vanilla milkshake had a natural, pronounced vanilla flavor that was satisfying and refreshing. It tasted like slurpable soft serve ice cream, which is exactly what we want in a vanilla shake. It nearly took the top spot, but there was one flavor that really blew all of us away.

1. Peach Milkshake

I was skeptical of the fan-favorite peach milkshake, which is a seasonal flavor that’s only available during the summer. Could it really live up to the hype? After trying it, I can confidently say yes. With its creamy texture and subtle sweetness, it tastes like the perfect version of peaches and cream. Like the brand’s strawberry milkshake, this one also features chopped peaches that are folded into the drink. They taste more like canned peaches than fresh, which gives this cute and clever treat a delightfully nostalgic flavor. This is the sweet treat that warm summer days deserve.