10 Fast Food Chains That Serve Real Ice Cream Milkshakes

When we were reviewing non-caffeinated drinks at Dutch Bros, the shakes made our reviewer frustrated. They presented themselves as being very shake-like but ended up tasting nothing like a shake at all. That is, if you agree that a shake should equate to a creamy milkshake that's rich and icy. Surprisingly enough, that is not the way many fast food chains think. If you look at a chain menu and it just says "shake," you may get soft serve, a frozen dairy dessert, or a low-fat version of what ice cream should be — but you're not getting proper ice cream. Because if you were, the menu would say so.

The USDA has standards for what can be labeled "real ice cream." It must reach a specific density of 4.5 pounds per gallon and contain at least 20% milk solids and 10% milkfat to be labeled as such. On a similar note, real frozen custard must first reach the specifications of real ice cream and then meet a specific amount of egg yolk solids to carry the custard label. But it's up to the consumers to look closely at menus and labels. Wording can get tricky. And when it comes to ice cream and milkshakes, no one wants to be fooled. Thankfully, we've done a deep dive, so you don't have to. Here are 10 fast food chains that you can depend on for a real ice cream milkshake.

In-N-Out Burger provides more than just a great burger and hand-cut fries. The quality spans across all areas of the menu, down to the real ice cream milkshakes, as advertised by the company and confirmed by fans on Facebook. While the store advertises strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla milkshakes, customers suggest that you can also get a Neapolitan shake with all three. One of our favorite secret tips for pleasing a crowd at In-N-Out without breaking the bank — go for a large or extra-large shake.

Hardee's has some of the best breakfast sandwiches you can get. The hand-breaded chicken sandwich in particular took top honors when we ranked its sandwiches. But if you are headed to Hardee's or its sister fast-food chain, Carl's Jr., for something sweet, you can't go wrong with one of their hand-scooped ice cream milkshakes, which are available in traditional vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry flavors, blended with real milk, and topped with whipped cream. Carl's Jr. also throws a Cookies & Cream flavor into the mix.

Potbelly may be the most surprising chain to see on this list, as most sandwich operations stick to serving desserts like cookies or brownies, which this shop also does. However, Potbelly offers hand-dipped ice cream shakes in a variety of flavors that transcend the traditional vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate. They move into realms of cold brew, banana pudding, and limited-time options like English toffee milkshakes. If you don't have a Potbelly nearby but now you have a craving, try this homemade banana pudding milkshake recipe.

In the 1950s, Lovie Yancey split from her husband, dropped the "Mr." from their hamburger stand, and turned Fatburger into what it is today — with 66 U.S. and 91 international locations. In the U.S., you can depend on the menu to have hand-scooped vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry milkshakes, as well as Oreo Cookies & Ice Cream, and Maui Banana options. Fans of Fatburger on reddit feel the shop doesn't get the recognition it deserves and insist you must get a shake if you ever get the chance.

It should be pretty difficult to beat Steak N' Shake in the milkshake department. It's right there in the name, after all, and its quality products and experience have kept the business alive and thriving since 1934. We've tested and ranked 19 Steak N' Shake milkshakes and would recommend quite a few. There are a multitude of flavors, with various candies, cakes, and cookies, all blended with real ice cream. Each also comes heavily topped with whipped cream and a juicy cherry.

Culver's is the first brand on our list to use frozen custard for its milkshakes. And, as we've already discussed, custard meets the USDA definition for real ice cream and separates itself by adding a specific amount of egg yolk to the ice cream. As a result, real custard tends to have a richer and denser texture than traditional ice cream, but both are welcome as sweet summertime treats. Culver's claims to make its custard fresh daily, and the shakes come in a variety of flavors, including root beer, mint, hot fudge, and salted caramel. We ranked the chocolate shake as the best you can get anywhere.

Shake Shack's shakes also fall in the custard category, and just like Culver's, the Shack makes its cold treat fresh daily. Shake Shack also has a long history with custard and once offered different flavors for every day of the week, with innovative options like Watermelon Tomato and Prune Armagnac. Today the store keeps the traditional flavors alive (we particularly enjoy the Black & White Shake) and only adds in a few limited-time options, like Biscoff Cookie Butter Tiramisu and Chocolate Toasted Marshmallow S'mores, every so often.

In order to keep all the custard together, we'll go ahead and add Freddy's here. Freddy's is known for its custard and serves its shakes in three sizes, starting with either vanilla, chocolate, or half-and-half flavored custard. You can then usually add up to six mix-ins, which range from cheesecake to gummy worms, with the first one being included in the price. And if you need a burger for that shake to wash down, check out which one we ranked as the best of the best.

Jack's Family Restaurants (not affiliated with Jack in the Box) are a Southern staple, delivering hometown hospitality across six states. Jack's uses hand-scooped ice cream to make its hand-mixed milkshakes. And there's a much wider range of foundational shake flavors than you would normally expect and compared to other brands on this list. Jack's is known for scooping out options like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Smokey Mountain Fudge instead of relying on toppings or mix-ins, but it also carries the traditional chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors.

This list wouldn't be complete without Sonic. Before 2010, what Sonic was serving couldn't be classified as ice cream. It was then that it introduced "Real Ice Cream," a seemingly proprietary blend. PR Newswire at the time reported that the brand took its "delicious soft serve and made it even creamier and more indulgent." It was enough to pass the USDA requirements of being real ice cream. Today, the brand's massive catalog of hand-mixed shakes includes everything from the classics to Hot Fudge, Banana, and Sonic Blasts that mix in various popular candies.