I Tried 8 Holiday Drinks From 5 Fast Food Chains And Ranked Them

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and you know what that means: Our favorite fast food restaurants are releasing special holiday drinks. While pumpkin spice everything has been available since early September, I'm so over that flavor. Once Halloween passes, I switch gears and focus solely on peppermint and sugar cookies. Thankfully, I'm not alone in this about-face. Several of my favorite fast food chains also switch gears and change up its menus to include drinks with flavors of peppermint, chocolate, and eggnog. Like any good drinks afficionado, I just had to run out and try this year's wide array of holiday offerings.

I went to all my favorites — including Coffee Bean, Dunkin', Chick-fil-A, and Starbucks (of course) — and tasted everything from peppermint shakes and sugar cookie coffees to that flavor of moment Dubai chocolate and tiramisu. And don't worry if you're a pumpkin spice fan, as those drinks are still available at some locations (we're looking at you, Starbucks).

Still, if you're like me and are ready to leave pumpkin behind, here's a sampling of some of this year's holiday favorites from worst to best. This way, you'll know which ones to hit immediately, and which to pass by on your way to grandma's house.

Chick-fil-A has several limited-time drinks available on its docket for the holiday season. Each is a peppermint twist on some classics, and after tasting two of them, I can tell you that one is definitely better than the other — and the Peppermint Chip Frosted Coffee is not that one. Consequently, this fast food holiday drink comes in last.

Now, I'm a huge coffee person. In fact, I'll go out of my way for a good cup of joe. It doesn't matter if it's hot or cold as long as it's got a nice strong coffee flavor, so I was super excited to taste this frosted coffee. Since it has the word "frosted" in the title, I correctly assumed it would be just like those blended coffee drinks (my favorite type of coffee, by the way) that all the well-known coffee places have.

Unfortunately, that's the only similarity it had to those others. Unlike all the rest, there was absolutely no coffee flavor. Instead, I got a bowled over by the extreme peppermint zing. While it was nice and cool and would be a great option on a warm, sunny day, I just couldn't get past the super strong peppermint. One sip was more than enough for me, which is why this places at the bottom.

One can't have a holiday drink ranking without including at least one Starbucks drink (we have two, in fact). Known for its festive holiday cups (that weren't always red) and twists on the classic latte, Starbucks never seems to disappoint. Beyond its pumpkin spice latte in the fall, fans have their pick from a variety of winter-themed flavors like peppermint. But I wanted to try something new this year, which is why I sampled its Iced Sugar Cookie Breve. And while I was really excited about this drink, it wasn't as tasty as the higher-ranked entries.

In case you don't know what breve means in coffee speak (I didn't), it's when a latte replaces the milk with velvety half-and-half cream. That substitution creates a creamier and ideally dreamier drink. Add a few pumps of sugar cookie syrup and some red and green sprinkles and you should have a home run, right? Wrong.

I think this holiday drink fell short because blonde espresso is used as the base. A blonde espresso is lighter in both color and flavor, and when I drink coffee, I want that distinct coffee essence, and I didn't really get it here. I was also missing that sweet, sugar cookie flavor, so I was really just sipping a watered-down plain latte in the end — one that happened to be decorated with sprinkles. A drink that definitely won't put me in the holiday spirit, this belongs near the bottom of this list.

The most expensive drink on our list was also the one I was the most excited about tasting. Jumping on the Dubai Chocolate bandwagon, Baskin Robbins has added a rich, chocolate pistachio bar ice cream to the ice cream chain's long list of flavors. For the not so low price of $9.99, you can turn that creamy "flavor of the month" into a thick, rich shake. But it's only for the small size at that price, which definitely isn't worth the money.

While the shake has a delightful mouthfeel and a wonderful nutty flavor that can't be beat, I like my shakes to be nice and smooth, and that is definitely not the case here. Since the ice cream has pistachio pieces running through it, those chunks aren't broken down during the blending process and so end up in the shake, jarring the experience with every sip. Sometimes those chunks clog up the straw as well making it even more difficult to enjoy. 

Then there's the topping. The bright green pistachio sauce and kataifi, or shredded phyllo pastry, looks really pretty, but as for flavor and texture, that's another story. The sauce is lovely, it's the kataifi that's the problem. I understand the phyllo is an essential part of Dubai chocolate, but it doesn't fit here. Maybe if it were blended into the shake it would be better, but as a topping it's just a dry crunch that reminds more of shredded wheat than a flaky pastry.

If there's one thing I can't get enough of at the holidays, it's peppermint. I love to add it to my hot chocolate as well as my brownies. Something about that cool mint flavor tingles my tongue and sends chills down my spine, bringing me pure joy during the winter months. When I heard that Chick-fil-A was taking my favorite flavor and turning it into a milkshake, I was overjoyed, even if I couldn't rank it higher than fifth.

First, the shake is so pretty: A bright bubblegum pink with a cute little dollop of whipped cream and, of course, a bright red cherry on top, it screams festive. While it doesn't taste quite as good as it looks, I'd have no problem ordering this shake to go with Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwich or nuggets. Unlike some other fast food shakes, this one is nice and creamy and easy to sip through a straw. In fact, that creaminess coats the tongue like a cool blanket.

The peppermint isn't overwhelming either, but rather has a nice subtle minty flavor that's perfect for this time of year. It's the chips that are slightly off-putting, hurting its ranking. As I mentioned, I like a smooth, creamy milkshake; just like the Dubai Shake from Baskin Robbins, the little lumps of peppermint bark interrupt the flow and plug up the straw, making it difficult to really enjoy this drink.

The second Starbucks drink on our list is this luscious, creamy iced latte. Unlike the Breve, I thoroughly enjoyed this coffee drink, mainly because it actually tasted like coffee. Even though it doesn't come in the chain's cute little bear cup that's selling out everywhere, this drink is still worth sampling (and only ranks fourth because I like the top three options more).

Made up of a mixture of strong, freshly brewed espresso and caramel brulée sauce, the drink is topped with whipped cream and a caramel brulée topping, which looks a lot like large brown sugar crystals. But those brown sugar crystals add a delightful maple crunch that takes this drink to the next level.

The reason this latte ranks higher on my list is because of its intense coffee flavor. I'm a dark roast girl, so any drink that actually tastes like nice, strong coffee automatically gets a leg up. The caramel syrup that's mixed into the latte adds a lovely subtle vanilla flavor from start to finish, as well. Top it off with a dollop of whipped cream and those cute little brown sugar crystals, and you have a drink of pure holiday delight, especially on a warm day.

Dunkin' may be known for its donuts, but it's the coffee that I love. The flavor is super satisfying and the company always has interesting flavors on its docket. The holiday season is no different as the shop has come out with several options for the most wonderful time of the year. While the Peppermint Mocha and Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte are always part of Dunkin's holiday menu, the company has come out with a few new flavors including this scrumptious Cookie Butter Cloud Latte. 

I loved this drink. It went down way too easy thanks to the luscious creaminess and that amazing cookie butter flavor. It was sweet with a subtle saltiness that was prominent from the first sip to the last. And that thick Cookie Butter Cold Foam on top was amazing. It made the drink seem more like a decadent dessert than a drink which might be a turn off for some, but was a homerun for me, especially if I want a sweet, quick pick-me-up in the middle of the day. 

The only reason this drink didn't make the top spot was those cookie crumbles on top. They just don't fit. First off, they have a strange crunch that doesn't go with the velvety creaminess of the drink. But worse, as they sit atop the foam, those little crumbles turn into an unappealing, soggy mess. So, if you can order this drink without the crumbles, I'd highly recommend it. 

I've been a Coffee Bean fan ever since my uncle introduced me to the original ice blended drink back in the '90s. While the vanilla and mocha Ice Blended beverages are available year-round, I always look forward to the holidays because that's when Coffee Bean comes out with its special wintery concoctions. While the Bean continues to have its delectable Winter Dream Tea Latte, this year the coffee franchise has added an iced latte that closely mimics my favorite Italian dessert and could very well take over my ice blended obsession: the Tiramisu Cream Iced Latte.

While the base of this drink is a standard iced latte made with Coffee Bean's freshly pulled espresso, the coffee shop adds a thick creamy top that's been flavored with sweet marscapone and sprinkled with cocoa powder to create a cool drink that almost looks like the classic Italian dessert for which its named. It's that velvety topping that makes this drink for me.

Sure, the coffee is good, but it's the rich, lusciousness of that thick cream that coats the tongue and slowly combines with the iced coffee to create a river of sweet silkiness from the first sip to the very last drop. While it doesn't taste exactly like tiramisu, it's close enough that I'll have no problem imbibing it through the new year.

I absolutely adore creamy coffee drinks, so I was surprised that a drink with only a splash of milk made the top spot. But sometimes simplicity really is best, and with only three ingredients, this drink is definitely one of the simpler holiday options out there. Originally created last year as a collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter, this holiday sipper is comprised of two shots of espresso, oat milk, and brown sugar syrup that's then hand shaken with ice. Once poured into a fresh cup with ice, this drink feels like a sophisticated mocktail rather than your standard coffee drink.

Since there isn't much milk, the robust coffee flavor really shines through. But it's that delightful brown sugar syrup that kicked this sipper into the top spot. Not only does the syrup add the perfect amount of sweetness, since it's brown sugar, there's a delicate maple flavor that tickles the tongue and fits with this festive time of year. Plus without all the extra sprinkles, whipped cream, or crumbles that seem to be a necessary evil with holiday drinks, it's easily a drink I'll have no trouble ordering through the new year or as long as it's available.

I've always been a fan of holiday drinks. With all the fun, fantastical flavors and accoutrements, it's always a treat (no pun intended) to taste the newest options. Since I have my favorite fast food chains, that's where I started. I then tried a couple others based solely on the description of the unique holiday options (hello Peppermint Chip Frosted Coffee).

Once I knew where I was going, I visited the shops and tasted each drink right on the spot, ensuring I'd try each cup at its freshest and most flavorful. Plus, since so many of them came with fun toppings, I was guaranteed not to lose any of that extra sparkle or crunch.

The ranking itself is based on both flavor and price, which is why Baskin Robbins ended up with a lower spot. I mean, just under $10 for a drink seems a bit outrageous to me, even in today's age of rising prices. While other holiday choices will appear as the season continues, these eight best fit the holiday theme, and were available at the time of writing.