19 Steak 'N Shake Milkshakes, Ranked Worst To Best

Steak 'n Shake has been an American fast food institution since 1934. Under black-and-white striped awnings, the restaurant has always touted its dual focus, starting with the "steak" part of the equation. The resounding sizzling sound emanating from its restaurants are its famous steakburgers. They're made smash-style, resulting in thin patties with crisped edges, and are served alongside a heap of shoestring fries — which will now be exclusively fried in beef tallow rather than vegetable oil.

If you haven't guessed by now, the other side of the business is all about shakes — hand-dipped milkshakes made with real ice cream, that is. These desserts, made the old-fashioned way, come in all colors and flavors. Patrons can indulge in an array of time-honored classics, like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, or venture over to the adventurous side, where various cookies, candies, and even cakes are combined with velvety scoops of ice cream.

Currently, Steak 'n Shake has 19 different milkshake options — that's more shakes than it has burgers and sandwiches combined. Each one brings something unique to the table (or booth), and I recently tried every single one to find the crème de la crème. I sipped and judged based on creaminess, sweetness, and ingredient balance. Stay tuned for the scoop.

The Steak 'n Shake cotton candy milkshake is a kid's dream and a parent's nightmare. I do have to give the fluorescent blend some credit, though. It truly does nail the essence of the feathery, sugary treat. It intends to replicate blue cotton candy rather than pink; if the color doesn't give it away, then the taste certainly does. It's sweet, with a caramelized sugar and berry flavor that transports you straight to the county fair on a hot summer day (sticky fingers not included).

But, whereas real fairy floss is meant to be light and fleeting, this concoction of ice cream and cotton candy syrup sits heavy on your tongue, meaning you can't escape from its cloying grasp. It's hard to imagine downing even a kid's-size shake, let alone a regular portion. Plus, could you imagine the bright blue stain that would overtake your entire mouth?

Among its candy-blasted shake options, the chain also offers a classic trifecta of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla. Some may think it boring (heck, the word is even a synonym for "plain" or "nondescript"), but I can appreciate a crisp vanilla milkshake every once in a while. When done right, these simple sips are smooth and refreshing. Unfortunately, Steak 'n Shake's rendition doesn't meet my standards. 

The vanilla taste (which the chain reveals actually comes from a vanilla syrup) is weak and the consistency is a far cry from indulgently creamy. The result is a substance best described as "thickened milk" — not the best way to wash down a steakburger meal with fries.

Ice cream meets red velvet cake meets Oreo cookie pieces in this seasonal milkshake. It sounds like a decadent dream. I imagined a full spectrum of confectionary tastes and figured the Oreo's creme filling would take the place of the cake's cream cheese frosting. Instead, the two core ingredients cannibalize one another and constantly fight for attention.

The chocolate cookies don't jive with the light cocoa and tanginess of the red velvet, and the pulverized cake gives off a lumpy, chalky texture. And, the entire cup was bogged down by far too many Oreo bits, turning it into more of a sloppy dirt cake than a sippable beverage. "Rich" would be a considerable understatement and I think this shake proves it's better to let some desserts shine by themselves.

They say you shouldn't eat raw cookie dough, and that's okay, because Steak 'n Shake allows you to drink it instead. The chain also presents patrons with a double whammy when it comes to this particular milkshake flavor. The recipe calls for ice cream blended with chocolate chip cookie dough. Then, more dough bits are sprinkled on top — though I got a mere three pieces in my kid's size shake. What's worse is that they offered little to no flavor, just a light chewiness.

A cookie batter taste was also infused into the base itself. It came with an artificial flair, as if it was sweetened with stevia rather than real sugar. There's just something slightly off about it, and it doesn't quench those cookie dough cravings.

I fear you won't find any real bananas stocked in Steak 'n Shake's kitchens. Instead, this fruity milkshake is flavored with a banana syrup. Presumably, food dye is also thrown into the mix, giving the drinkable dessert a color as yellow as the cotton candy shake was blue.

With all this artificiality, I braced for an intense banana Laffy Taffy-type taste. What I got, though, was more of a subtle banana pudding made with ripened bananas. It's sweet, but not overly so, and it doesn't hit you over the head with the flavor of the tropical fruit. The texture was also permissible, making it a pleasant surprise all-around. Does it still pale in comparison to a shake, or even a smoothie, made with fresh bananas? Absolutely. But, it satisfies, despite its makeup, and it even beats out a handful of other Steak 'n Shake creations.

The diner doesn't splurge for real strawberries either (go figure). Syrup is once again a main ingredient, alongside a few scoops of ice cream. Its Pepto Bismol-like shade is eye-raising, though the flavor is decidedly less bold. Don't get me wrong, it's still awfully sweet for a fruit-based shake. But, it manages to smooth things over with the mild taste of pure ice cream.

Like the banana, it doesn't have a grossly synthetic taste like strawberry candy. However, it's clearly unnatural; the lack of any kind of chunks or seeds makes that abundantly clear. Because of this, I would categorize it as a take-it-or-leave-it, middling milkshake on the same level as a McDonald's strawberry shake. 

The chocolate shake that emerged from the Steak 'n Shake drive-thru window was only about three-fourths of the way full. Perhaps the staff mismeasured or got a bit thirsty behind the scenes. Either way, I was left with a sad cup of light brown — almost grey — liquid.

The treat doesn't start out with real chocolate ice cream — and it shows. It combines standard ice cream (what I assume is sweet cream or vanilla-flavored) with a chocolate syrup, giving it a light Hershey's-like flavoring. If you were expecting a lavishly rich and decadent chocolate shake, that's not what you'll get zipping through your straw. It's closer to a shake you would blend together yourself — nothing overly special, but with a touch of nostalgia.

Aesthetically, the M&M's milkshake gives others a run for their money. With candy clumped on top and whirled into the ice cream base, it's a tornado of vivid colors — a work of art visible through the clear plastic cup. Flavor-wise, though, it could use some work.

M&M's are specifically designed to "melt in your mouth, not your hands" thanks to their sugary shells. But, when they come in contact with something cold (in this case, ice cream), this protective outer casing makes them hard and excessively crunchy. The shake feels like two separate desserts rather than one cohesive unit. You drink the shake (which tastes ever so slightly chocolatey), then you're left with a mouthful of rigid M&M pieces that lack their usual appeal.

Much of KitKats' charm has to do with its texture. Nothing beats that first snap of the individual fingers and crunch of the wafers. Unfortunately, most of this is stripped away within Steak 'n Shake's frozen treat.

The chocolate candy is ground to a pulp, within the shake and on top of it. The remnants that are left taste dusty or even a bit stale, as if they were pulled from a Halloween sack that had been forgotten about for weeks. Even after you give it a stir, the wafer's flavors are all but nonexistent. So, ice cream and bits of chocolate are left to do much of the heavy lifting. For devout KitKat fans, this is bad news. But for those who were never on the KitKat train, you might still enjoy this candy bar mashup.

The story of the Snickers milkshake is very similar to the KitKat saga. Staleness continues to be an issue. I can picture all the candies sitting in their square Cambro plastic containers on the Steak 'n Shake prep counter for hours at a time (if you've worked in food service you know what I'm talking about). Each component of the Snickers is also difficult to pinpoint, aside from the chocolate. The peanuts are scant and the nougat doesn't make a notable impression.

But, what makes this shake better than the last is the caramel drizzle on top, which seeps into the ice cream underneath. This simple addition breathes life into the blend and delivers that buttery Snickers flavor that would otherwise be lost. Does the caramel get stuck in your teeth? Without a doubt. But, that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. 

I expected to find real Reese's peanut butter cup bits floating in this milkshake. Spoiler: I did not. As I swirled and searched the drink with my straw, I realized I had neglected to read the fine print. If I had, I would have been prepared for the fact that this shake is made with chocolate syrup and Reese's peanut butter – not the cups themselves.

With this misunderstanding out of the way, the frosty beverage isn't half bad. The distinct Reese's flavor isn't pronounced. But, the peanut butter tastes rich and just salty enough; it's the perfect complement to the scoop of vanilla ice cream. Typically, chocolate and peanut butter also get along well. However, I almost could have done without the dash of chocolate syrup. It dials up the richness one degree too much and doesn't elevate the mix enough to justify its presence.

Steak 'n Shake broke out the party hats and this very special birthday cake milkshake in 2014 in honor of the chain's 80th anniversary. It must have been a hit because it's still on the menu to this day and follows the original recipe. This includes yellow birthday cake mixed with buttercream frosting and topped with rainbow sprinkles. Candles are sold separately (and are not advised).

The cake is meant to be baked, just like with the red velvet shake. But, the taste is more similar to cake batter. That first sip is just like licking the bowl after stirring together Funfetti cake mix. I imagined it would be quite cloying, but it surprised me. The sweetness is balanced throughout and it's smooth, with a subtle, light crunchiness from the sprinkles. It almost feels wrong to drink it, but so right at the same time.

Two confection icons meet up in this sweet Steak 'n Shake dessert. Slapping Oreos and M&M's together in one cup is a bold move, and one I have to admit I have not seen it done before. I worried about their ability to coexist, just as you would if two star basketball players were suddenly thrown onto the same team. The result, however, is craveable, and I'm inclined to believe it's because the Oreos take charge.

There are hardly any M&M's in the concoction at all, even though they're supposed to be blended into the shake and scooped on top. This works out in my favor, though, since I still don't believe the sugar-coated candies pair well with frozen treats. This allows the chocolate sandwich cookies to work their magic, turning the shake essentially into a less viscous Oreo McFlurry (one of McDonald's best desserts) that happened to pick up a few M&M's bits in the prep process.

The Butterfinger Blizzard is a classic at Dairy Queen and the milkshake version at Steak 'n Shake also hits the spot. It's a simple, yet sublime, combination of textures and flavors. The ice cream foundation is flavored by the outside of the candy bar, which almost turns it into a chocolate shake (and one that's nearly better than the chain's actual chocolate shake, if you can believe it).

As was the case with the Snickers and KitKat shakes, the Butterfinger fragments themselves aren't the freshest. But, it's less of a downer here as the bar's peanut butter core maintains its crisp and unique taste, providing the perfect amount of both sweet and salty.

If you're going the chocolate route at Steak 'n Shake, do yourself a favor and order this frozen delight. It's light-years ahead of the standard chocolate shake and even ranked as one of my overall top picks on the entire milkshake menu.

The Nutella spinoff was first spun up by the chain in 2015, right around the time of the Nutella craze in the United States. Since ice cream is the only other ingredient, the chocolate hazelnut spread really has a chance to strut its stuff. It blends seamlessly into the beverage, creating rich, nutty bliss. My only qualm with the shake's makeup is that the Nutella drizzle on top hardens just like a chocolate shell. It's delicious, but at the same time, it's impossible to pull up through the straw. A spoon may be required, or you can get down and dirty and finish off that hard Nutella slab with your fingers.

Without the noise of the OREO cookies, the red velvet shake makes a statement. The heavy consistency is still at play, which likely can't be avoiding, seeing how it's made with spongy cake. But, it still manages to taste just like a liquified version of the popular dessert. It's bold and has a deep flavor reminiscent of a chocolate milkshake. However, it also shows off that one-of-a-kind red velvet flavor — an element that wasn't properly showcased in the Oreo version of the shake.

I did find myself missing the cream cheese frosting — which is the best part of red velvet cake. I think that a hefty dollop of whipped cream on top could help to fill this void.

The naming of this shake seems a bit redundant. However, I was willing to overlook this minor detail, given its all-around appeal. The uncomplicated fusion of Oreos and ice cream will never let you down. I don't care if it's in a milkshake, bowl, cone, or ice cream bar. It's like the two were made for each other, and the love story continues at Steak 'n Shake.

The milkshake I received was compromised by just a few M&M pieces, which took me back to the overloaded Oreo M&M confection. But, Oreo still dominates — as it should — with a pleasing chocolate essence from the cookies themselves and a hint of vanilla flavoring from the créme. The Oreo shake is basic yet time-honored, and Steak 'n Shake whips up a version that competes with the best of them.

An oldie but a goodie. The Reese's milkshake stands beside Oreo as another expert in its craft. But, it gets the upper hand because it enlivens your taste buds with both sweet and salty notes. It's made with real Reese's crumbles (the ones which were missing from the Reese's chocolate peanut butter shake) and adds them into the ice cream as well as right underneath the lid. This double dose gives the treat the perfect ratio of ice cream to cups.

The Reese's milkshake is Steak 'n Shake's only chocolate candy creation where the candy seems to have been taken straight from the wrapper. It doesn't have a day-old staleness to it. Perhaps this is because the chain churns through more of these milkshakes per day? It's just a hunch, though I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if it were true. 

McDonald's Shamrock Shake doesn't hold a candle to this minty creation from Steak 'n Shake. If Oreo and ice cream stand as an unmatched flavor combo, then adding mint into the mix makes it feel as though you've struck dessert gold.

The mint itself — which comes from a cool mint syrup — is kept light. It's not strong and artificial enough to send it into toothpaste territory. But, it's robust enough to douse the entire shake in an undeniable freshness. Altogether, it's reminiscent of a creamy, well-made mint chocolate chip ice cream — but sub the chocolate shards for Oreos. I could have done with even more of the chocolate cookie crumbles. However, even in a smaller dose, they make the shake, sprinkling in frequent tastes of crunchy and satisfying sweetness.

It's difficult to mess up a milkshake. But, some of Steak 'n Shake's options stand out more than other others. To rank these creations fairly, I evaluated each one based on two key factors: consistency and taste. In terms of consistency, I focused on the smoothness of each shake base and considered whether or not the candies or add-ins maintained their structure without overwhelming the drink. A good shake should be thick, but drinkable.

When assessing taste, I looked for a balance between sweetness and flavor depth. Overly sweet and cloying concoctions, like the cotton candy shake, ranked lower than those that were better balanced. I also considered how well the ingredients complemented each other. In many cases, simplicity worked best; shakes with one special guest tended to rank higher than those that had two add-ins competing for attention, like Oreo red velvet shake. Ultimately, a different kind of Oreo treat triumphed, thanks to its adherence to the above criteria and its expert fusion of flavors.