Nothing says summer quite like ice cream—especially when that ice cream takes the form of a milkshake. They’re delicious to drink, easy to carry, and there’s no risk of them melting into a mess the way an ice cream cone does. If your business wants to offer this special treat during the summer or year-round, you need to know which flavors to offer. We’ve selected ten popular milkshake flavors for your restaurant to consider adding to the menu. Read on to learn more about our suggestions, from the classic to the unconventional.
These are the Following Popular Milkshake Flavors:
Start With Plain Vanilla
Once you’ve made a commitment to adding a milkshake machine to your kitchen, you’ll need to make sure to offer vanilla. Of course, it’s not the most exciting flavor, but vanilla is a flavor that you can’t go wrong with, and people with conservative palates will appreciate you including it on your menu. More importantly, it’s the base for any other milkshake mix-ins and flavors you can come up with. “Plain vanilla” sounds pejorative, but it’s a staple you’ll need to have at your business.
Chocolate and Beyond
Down in the United States, where enterprising marketers have tracked down the favorite flavors across the country, chocolate ranked the most popular in eight states, earning it second place overall (though it wasn’t behind vanilla, as we’ll explain in a moment). Not only is a classic chocolate shake a great addition to any menu, but it’s another solid base for more complex flavors. Make sure you expand your chocolate selection with the following unique flavors.
The Classic Chocolate Malt Milkshake Flavor
Customers who really know their milkshakes won’t just order a chocolate shake—they’ll specify that what they’re really after is a chocolate malt. Adding malted milk powder, chocolate syrup, and milk to vanilla ice cream creates a nutty and sweet flavor that you can only get with that critical addition of malted milk powder. Malt flavors found their heyday at old soda fountains and are still popular in candies such as Whoppers, which feature a chocolate-covered center of dried malted milk.
What Else Is Nu? The Nutella Shake Milkshake Flavor
First introduced in 1964 by an Italian company, Nutella is the hazelnut spread that swept across North America and the world. The combination of chocolate and hazelnut has become a popular flavor on its own and as an addition to other treats, including milkshakes. As delectable as it is, a Nutella milkshake is not the kind of treat people can easily make at home. Ice cream’s cold temperature can harden Nutella without proper mixing—it’ll take more than just a whisk or spoon to get it right. However, the right commercial milkshake machine would have no problem with this task.
Classic Strawberry Milkshake Flavor
It might surprise you to learn the classic strawberry milkshake is the most popular milkshake flavor in ten of the 50 United States. It would seem as if the other states are split over their favorites. Strawberry lovers are apparently the only ones united in their love of this flavor and willing to make it known.
Sandwiching in a Mention of Cookies and Cream
Oreo cookies are a popular snack by themselves or with a glass of milk, but many milkshake drinkers love them in a cookies and cream shake, too. Oreos are a popular sundae topping choice, so it’s no surprise that they’re a popular milkshake flavor as well. If you’re offering ice cream alongside your milkshakes, keep these crushed cookies on hand for both options.
Caffeinated Shakes
Whether they’re after an extra spoonful of sugar or an entire donut, people love to have something sweet with their coffee. Coffee-flavored milkshakes combine caffeine and sweetness in one drink. The curiously named “coffee cabinet,” featuring coffee ice cream and coffee syrup, serves up a taste of home for any native New Englanders who may pass through your restaurant’s doors. Some coffee lovers may argue that too much cream and sugar in a cup of coffee basically makes a milkshake anyway, but the churning process is different and creates a top-ten flavor.
If You Like Piña Coladas, Try a Pineapple Shake
Give your customers a taste of the tropics all year long by keeping pineapple shakes on the menu. Some purists might argue that a pineapple milkshake is the same as a smoothie, but using ice cream rather than fruit and yogurt makes a big difference in both texture and flavor. Don’t forget a slice of real pineapple as a tasty garnish!
Peanut Butter & Jelly Time
Almost everyone who grew up in North America had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as a child and fell in love with it. It’s a nostalgic flavor that many people don’t immediately think of as an option when ordering a milkshake. However, the nutty flavor helps balance out the sweetness of the ice cream, so it’s a great choice for people who don’t have a big sweet tooth.
The Coolest Milkshake Flavor
Mint shakes have a seasonal favorite. Peppermint flavoring calls candy canes and Christmastime to mind, while green shamrock shakes draw customers to a certain major fast-food chain every March. But when people find themselves missing mint during the rest of the year, you can offer this cool, crisp flavor as one of ten popular milkshake flavors for your restaurant—a flavor that no others can replicate. Combine chocolate and mint to replicate a peppermint patty for an extra-special treat!
Why Embrace Variety?
Canada is a diverse country full of people who love many different milkshake flavors. Your business can’t go wrong by offering classic strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate flavors, especially since those are the basis of many other popular flavors. Offering mix-ins and additional options such as malt and coffee will give people the power to choose their favorite flavor without you having to mix up big batches of less popular milkshake flavors.
If you want to offer this wonderful treat in a variety of delicious flavors, you’ll need to find a commercial milkshake machine for sale. DSL offers reliable and efficient milkshake machines in various sizes to fit your business needs and space; we are happy to help you find the right one.
