Avoid This One Five Guys Milkshake At All Costs

The craving might not hit very often, and it might not always be something you cave in to, but when the time is right, nothing hits quite like a tall, frosty milkshake. Some places do them better than others, and Five Guys is known for being a pretty solid option, especially if you enjoy customizing your shake with mix-ins. But there is one Five Guys shake that we recommend avoiding at all costs, and that is the bacon milkshake.

Yes, you read that correctly. You can actually get a vanilla milkshake hand-spun with tiny pieces of crisp Applewood bacon, and you can add other flavors to it, too. If that doesn't scream America, we don't know what does, so of course, we had to try it. Unfortunately, our tester was not a fan.

This might not seem surprising, but people have been pairing bacon with sweet flavors for years, and sometimes it works extremely well, like with maple-candied bacon. However, the smoky flavor of the bacon shake was way too overwhelming, and our tester really didn't enjoy having to chew her milkshake. The drink also wasn't sweet enough to satisfy that dessert craving that typically strikes after a salty burger and fries, so it really left her wanting more. So much so that we named it as one of the top 15 chain restaurant desserts to avoid ordering, and we stand by our decision.

It seems like other people have also had problems with the bacon chunks, if online reviews are anything to go by. One Reddit user said, "It's fun to say you did it, but a bacon shake really isn't that good. Can't mix it long enough to really incorporate the bacon (e.g., get the pieces small enough) without over mixing the ice cream." Another called the milkshake "awful." Many people have been too scared to even try it, with one TikTok user saying, "There is so much wrong with this."

However, there are some fans of the shake. People usually pair the bacon with other mix-ins, rather than ordering it on its own, which might make a difference. Peanut butter and bacon is a popular combo, as is banana and bacon. A Reddit user said, "Bacon with peanut butter and salted caramel is where it's at." Another recommended peanut butter, chocolate, and bacon.

Still, if you're a texture person, we recommend skipping the bacon and going for another option instead. We tasted the internet's favorite Five Guys mix-in combos, if you're looking for some meat-free inspiration.