The Best Fast Food Frozen Treats Ever Created

Before we were hip to artisnal ice cream, and hand-churned gelato, we rewarded ourselves with something sweet by coasting through the nearest drive-thru. There's a time and place for fancy frozen treats, but we're still helplessly devoted to the quick and easy desserts our local fast food joints are serving up. Say what you will—the chains you pass by on the daily happen to serve some of the best frozen treats in America. Forget Starbucks' frappuccinos and Cold Stone Creamery shakes, with their jacked up prices and impossibly long lines, and enter the oft-forgotten class of desserts: the fast food frozen concoction. Here are the best America has to offer.

RELATED: Fast Food Chains That NYC Needs ASAP
RELATED: 25 Fast Food Items That Stoners and Pregnant Women Love
RELATED: The 20 Greatest Taco Bell Menu Items of All Time
RELATED: First We Feast - Fast Food Underdogs and Secret Menu Items

Chain: A&W
Introduced: 1922

Of course, we gotta recognize A&W for its signature beverage. Its root beer float is like the O.G. of all root beer floats. These frothy drinks are unlike floats you'll find anywhere else. Recognize.

Chain: Chipotle Mexican Grill
Introduced: 2013

Not that we didn't already love Chipotle, but we were overjoyed when the Mexican grill announced that they would be serving made-to-order margaritas for customers to enjoy, beginning April 29 of this year. Though Chipotle has purportedly been serving margaritas made from margarita mixes since the chain launched, 900 Chipotle restaurants now serve margaritas created fresh from Patron Silver, triple sec, lemon and lime juices, and agave. Served with a wedge of lime, these suckers are served on the rocks for $7 if you want Patron and $4.50 for Sauza. Chipotle stays winning.

Chain: Zaxby's
Introduced: 2010

Originally, Zaxby's brought out their famous Birthday Cake Shake for a limited time to celebrate their 20th year, but it created such a stir, it's now a permanent menu item. And thank goodness for that. The Birthday Cake Shake actually tastes like cake batter and chocolate frosting. No small feat.

Chain: Sonic
Introduced: n/a

If you're fortunate enough to have been blessed with a Sonic Drive-In in your town, then you're probably well-acquainted with the Reese's Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Blast. Now with options like the OREO Blast staring at you from the drive-thru menu, you may very well overlook this cup of peanut butter-y goodness, a rookie's mistake, to be sure. At any other fast-food chain, we would immediately default to OREO, but at Sonic, nothing tops the Reese's treat. It's made from real vanilla icecream and little chunks of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, which have been crushed up in a machine so the served concoction is thick, creamy, and not too chunky.

Chain: Jack in the Box
Introduced: 2004

West coast restaurant Jack in the Box came out with its seasonal Pumpkin Pie Shake back in 2004, and it's given even Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte a run for its money. The Pumpkin Pie Shake is like a harbinger of fall and all the wonderful holidays to come. One sip of this guy, and you'll be dreaming of turkeys, stuffing, and pumpkin pies. Luckily, we have Jack in the Box's wonderful creation to hold us over. It's a vanilla icecream blended with pumpkin pie syrup, topped with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.

Chain: Denny's
Introduced: n/a

It's not often you hear anyone raving over a Banana Split. People usually go nuts over milkshakes and things that have gone through a blender, but at Denny's, you can't go wrong with the classic Banana Split. It's childhood, encapsulated.

Chain: In-N-Out
Introduced: n/a

If you're not a fan of In-N-Out's famous bubbly brews, there's always the Neapolitan Shake, which, as its name suggests, is a mash of all three of the restaurant's milkshake flavors, chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Californians know there is no better milkshake.

Chain: Burger King
Introduced: 2012

Burger King's Bacon Sundae is either a glorious mash-up between your favorite breakfast item and dessert, or a heart attack in a cup, depending on who you ask (ehem, Michelle Obama). In any case, this peculiar frozen dessert is your typical sundae, made with vanilla soft serve, drizzled with chocolate fudge and caramel, and topped off with both strips and bits of hardwood smoked bacon. Unfortunately, if you didn't try this at Burger King last summer, you missed out; BK only had this on their menu for a limited time. It's a strange product, to be sure, but we've always been open to trying new things, especially if those things include bacon.

Chain: Chick Fil-A
Introduced: 2011

If you're an avid Chick-fil-A goer, you did't overlook the fact that one crucial item was missing from their menu this spring. Chick Fil-A came out with the famous Banana Pudding Milkshake, releasing it in both April of 2011 and 2012. People went, well, bananas over it. So, as you can imagine, all hell broke loose when Chick-fil-A failed to include the Banana Pudding Milkshake on its lineup this year. People wrote to the Chick-fil-A headquarters crying and complaining, but to no avail. Hopefully it'll be back soon.

Chain: In-N-Out
Introduced: n/a

The greatest thing about In-N-Out is that they'll basically make your milkshakes however way you want it. Onions in your milkshakes? We don't know why you'd want that, but, hell, they'll do it. In addition to their super-customizable menu, there's also an In-N-Out secret menu, which consists of their famous root beer float and Neapolitan shake. As you may have guessed, these secret menu items are not much of a secret anymore. The root beer float, which any newcomer to the western chain must try, is made from half a vanilla shake and half a root beer, ie: bliss.

Chain: Steak 'n Shake
Introduced: n/a

Steak 'n Shake makes this list not only because they've got all-around delicious milkshakes but because they have a huge variety of flavors, and they'll mix and match flavors to make Side by Side Shakes for you. And though their specialty milk shakes feature great flavors like Peanut Butter Banana, Mint Cookies 'n Cream, and Chocolate Covered Strawberry, our favorite is the Orange Freeze, a hand-dipped milk shake from their classic selection. Milky and tangy, it tastes just like an orange creamsicle exploding in our mouths. Pause.

Chain: Carl's Jr.
Introduced: 2012

Carl's Jr.'s Ice Cream Brrrger looks a little funky, but that's precisely the reason you should try it. Make no mistake, though. While it may appear unappetizing, the Ice Cream Brrrger is heaven-sent. The beefy component of the Brrrger resembling hamburger meat is actually a slab of chocolate ice cream sandwiched between two cookies. We appreciate the lengths they went to in order to simulate a real burger; the dyed frosting is supposed to resemble lettuce, cheese, and ketchup. Even the specks of sugar are meant to look like tiny sesame seeds. So impressive.

Chain: Denny's
Introduced: n/a

Denny's has got to be the most underrated fast food joint out there. But with 1,600 restaurants in the U.S. alone, as well as Denny's in Canada, South America, Japan, New Zealand, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates, we'd say the pancake house is doing pretty well for itself—most likely because of their bomb ass desserts. At Denny's, you can pick up anything from a sundae to a float. Their best frozen treat, however, aren't any of the regular sundaes, shakes, or floats. For the best of Denny's, you'll want to try their Hot Fudge Brownie a la Mode. This dessert is perfect because you can have your brownie and eat it too. The scoop of ice cream perfectly balances out the huge slice of brownie, which would ordinarily be too overpowering, but in Denny's case, is on-point.

Chain: Arby's
Introduced: 1960s-1970s

We're not sure when the Jamocha Shake first made its way onto Arby's menus, but old time fans have claimed they first tried the shake as far back as the 1960s. As Arby's signature frozen beveage, the thick and creamy Jamocha Shake is a fusion of a chocolate shake and coffee so you can enjoy a treat with your fries and get your daily caffeine fix, too! Really, what more could you want?

Chain: McDonald's
Introduced: 1997

If there's one reason to stop into McDonald's mid-summer, it's not a Big Mac or a 20-piece McNuggets but something off their menu of frozen treats, my friend. McDonald's frozen treats are on point. The McFlurry with Oreo Cookies is packed with little bits of Oreo cookies—just enough to introduce some variety into the sweet vanilla soft serve. Always go for the Oreo. M&M McFlurries are for noobs.

Chain: Taco Bell
Introduced: 2004

Taco Bell is awesome on its own, with its 5-layer Burritos and Double Decker Tacos. But after all that food, sometimes you just need something to wash it all down. And perhaps the only thing better than a mojito or sangria to go with your Mexican food? The Baja Blast Freeze, of course. By now, the Baja Blast Freeze has become something of a household name for many foodies. It's an icy version of the Baja Blast, a lime-flavored Mountain Dew product, available only at Taco Bell. Apparently, the Baja Blast has been "chemically formulated to taste good with [Taco Bell's] food," according to Mountain Dew's wiki page. Can't argue with science!

Chain: Shake Shack
Introduced: After 2004

The long line of people queued up in front of the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park (where the original one opened) should be enough evidence that this fast food joint has got the best burgers in town. But, as their name would suggest, burgers aren't the only good thing you'll find at Shake Shack. Their shakes are to die for, particularly their black and white milkshakes. Try the malted too—sofa king good!

Chain: McDonald's
Introduced: 1970

One of the most anticipated events in the year begins in February and lasts throughout March when McDonald's releases their seasonal Shamrock Shake in celebration of St. Patrick's Day. To be perfectly honest, we're usually hesitant about trying anything that's synthetically green (Dr. Seuss has scarred us) but this mint-flavored refreshment is surely the pot at the end of a rainbow. Interestingly enough, McDonald's tried launching the Shamrock Sundae, a vanilla soft serve coated in mint syrup, in 1980 but discontinued the product after a year because, well, nothing beats the Shamrock Shake. Nothing.

Chain: Dunkin' Donuts
Introduced: 1997

For those of you with a real sweet tooth, you'll want to get a Vanilla Bean Coolatta from Dunkin' Donuts to go along with your pink frosted donut. Although Dunkin' Donuts offers two kinds of Coolatta flavors, the coffee and the fruit, the best flavor actually falls under neither category. The Vanilla Bean Coolatta is in a category of its own. Both slushy and creamy (don't ask us how that's possible), this guy is loaded with sugar and will have you bouncing off the walls.

Chain: Dippin' Dots
Introduced: 1988

It's sad to see that the number of Dippin' Dots vendors have diminished throughout the years. Nevertheless, we've never stopped loving them; there was just something about those dots. Perhaps it was the way each individual dot felt on your tongue. There was something cool about its texture and the way it resembled sprinkles more than ice cream. Ironically, the company's marketing slogan is "Ice Cream of the Future." Since the Original Dots, they've made Dot Floats, Dot Sundaes, Dot Shakes, Dot Quakes, and a fruity concoction called The Solar Freeze, all in attempt to stay alive. But we're still ride or die for the original.

Chain: Friendly's
Introduced: 1977

If you're looking for the fast food chain with the thickest milkshake of all, look no further than Friendly's Fribble Shakes. Their original shakes are created from homemade ice cream. Originally made with iced milk, they've since switched twice, first to using soft serve. And as of March 2013, they've changed their recipe again to using hard ice cream. Either way, the Fribble is classic.

Chain: Burger King
Introduced: n/a

If you're not a fan of Burger King's unconventional Bacon Sundae, rest assured there are other options for you, like the Hershey's Sundae Pie. It consists of a chocolate ice cream filling enclosed in a crumbly chocolate crust with chocolate syrup and chips sprinkled on top. It's basically any chocolate lover's dream come true.

Chain: Sonic
Introduced: n/a

You'll wake up in the middle of the night calling its name. According to the description of Sonic's website, the cherry limeade is a "tangy, sweet combination that haunts your dreams at night—in a good way, of course." Made from Sprite, freshly-squeezed limes, and a touch of cherries, the Cherry Limeade is an amazing alternative to coffee on a hot day when you don't feel like sipping on a coffee or boring, old soda.

Chain: Wendy's
Introduced: 1969; 2006

There are few things one wouldn't do for a Wendy's Frosty. Smoother than soft serve and not quite a milkshake, the Frosty is a perfect blend of both. You'll be interested to know that when this heavenly creation was first introduced in 1969, it was available only in chocolate. In fact, it wasn't until 2006 that Wendy's finally released the vanilla Frosty. And while there's no denying Wendy's Frosty is hands down the best frozen treat in the history of all frozen treats, for years Frosty fanatics have debated over the better flavor—creamy, perfect vanilla or its predecessor? Either way, a Frosty french fries' perfect companion.

Chain: Dairy Queen
Introduced: 1985

There's not a more concise or eloquent way for us to explain a Dairy Queen's blizzard. A DQ Blizzard is like a party in your mouth. Consisting very simply of soft serve along with sundae toppings, cookies, or candy depending on what you ask for, the ingredients are mixed in mechanically with a Blizzard Maker, a.k.a. the machine of Gods. The best flavor? It's a toss-up between Oreo and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Either way, DQ's Blizzards take your tastebuds to places they've never been before and will have you sprinting back for more all summer long.