We Finally Know Why Chick-Fil-A's Milkshakes Taste So Good

Chick-fil-A may be famous for its delicious fried chicken nuggets and chicken sandwiches, but they also excel with desserts, namely milkshakes. The chain's milkshakes came in 4th place out of 13 different fast food milkshakes we ranked. The chocolate milkshake beat heavy hitters like Five Guys, Sonic, and Dairy Queen. If you're wondering why Chick-fil-A's milkshakes taste so good, employees are happy to share some trade secrets.

Half of what makes Chick-fil-A's milkshakes so good is that they are consistently good as opposed to hit or miss. One thing employees know that customers don't is that there are very strict codes and formulas to follow when making a milkshake. Employees never stray from a tried-and-true formula that involves visual cues. A former Chick-fil-A employee on Reddit explained that it involves a "shake base, filled to certain lines each time. Plus we followed codes in pumping to ensure equal proportions." The milkshake blending cups have visibly marked, color-coded lines that indicate exact measurements of different ingredients, so there's no guesstimating or winging it.

We thought Chick-fil-A's cookies and cream milkshake was one of the greatest fast-food milkshakes of all time, and an employee gave the exact formula for how they make it on Reddit. "You put two things of the Oreo crumbles, shake base until the red line, ice cream, put the lid, mix it, put the whipped cream, and then the cherry." It appears that two pumps of syrup or measured servings of add-ins are the standard ratio for milkshake flavors.

While certain recipes like soups, stews, and salads can be improvised, many desserts are an exact science. And according to Chick-Fil-A's success rate, exact measurements and attention to detail are key to a successful milkshake every time. Of course, Chick-Fil-A probably has industrialized, commercial milkshake spinners that you probably don't have at home. So, a good tip to get that creamy, smooth consistency is to use a food processor instead of a blender.

Customizations are welcomed at Chick-Fil-A, but they have limitations which you won't have at home. To begin, you can make a large milkshake at home or a giant batch for a crowd of friends and family. There are also many pantry staples that you can use to upgrade the taste and texture of a homemade milkshake. For instance, you can bring a rich caramelized flavor to your milkshake with the help of malted milk powder or a tangy upgrade with buttermilk. Milk powder will make milkshakes extra creamy. You can create flavors of your own, like a cake batter milkshake made with heat-treated boxed cake mix. A high-quality ice cream brand goes a long way in making the ultimate milkshake, whether you measure out proportions meticulously or not. You can always draw inspiration from your favorite Chick-fil-A flavors, not to mention those coveted seasonal shakes that Redditors have raved about like banana pudding, Autumn spice, peach, and mint chip.