Each year, restaurant chains such as Braum’s, Chick-fil-A, Cities, Freddy’s and Wendy’s come out with peppermint milkshakes in order to help their customers catch the holiday spirit. Almost every chain has their own version of this popular winter drink. Some restaurants choose to use vanilla ice cream or chocolate chip add-ins, so which one does it the best? This ranking will help readers find the greatest, and possibly worst, places to find a peppermint shake in Edmond, Okla.

5. Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A’s shake was definitely the most hyped, but sadly, it did not live up to expectations. The only redeemable factor was the peppermint crunch. Unfortunately, they also added chocolate chips to the shake, making it so there were weird lumps I had to periodically bite through which does not give for a pleasant experience. Another thing that solidified this shake as last place was the texture. It was too melted down and felt almost runny. Also, the shake is one of the more expensive ones adding up to $4.49 for only a small. Overall, with the price being what it is and the texture just not being good, I would not recommend stopping by Chick-fil-A for a milkshake this holiday season.

4. Wendy’s

Wendy’s Peppermint Frosty was extremely basic. When I took my first sip the only reason I could tell it was peppermint was the bright pink color. As I continued to eat it I could taste a smidge of the peppermint flavor but it wasn’t very prominent. Despite its lack in the flavor department, it was creamy and well made. However, it is impossible to drink with a straw so I don’t know if I would call it a shake. The pricing was another way the Frosty compensated for its taste as it was only $1.99 for a small. If one is not a huge fan of peppermint but still wants to enjoy the holidays with a nice winter shake, Wendy’s is the place for them.

3. Freddy’s

Freddy’s has always excelled in the frozen custard department and their Oreo Cookie Peppermint Shake is no exception. They chose to do a more chocolatey take on peppermint, serving it with chocolate custard and oreo bits; this was a bit overwhelming at times as I’m more inclined to vanilla. If one is more of a chocolate fan, I would highly recommend it though. However, Freddy’s is more expensive as it costs $6.09 for a regular (the size of most other restaurant’s smalls) but the taste definitely makes up for it.

2. Cities

Cities is one of the newer ice cream joints in Edmond and they just released their holiday line up. Among flavors of Eggnog and Caramel lies their Peppermint Pop-up. Like many others on this list, Cities offers their peppermint shake with oreo and peppermint pieces. Unlike Freddy’s, Cities did a wonderful job making sure that the chocolate didn’t overpower the peppermint. The whole drink was very creamy with everything being blended beautifully. This shake was more on the expensive side costing $8.50 for a standard but the quality definitely makes up for the price.

1.  Braums

Braums has never disappointed with their shakes so I had high expectations for this one and they were happily met. Their peppermint shake consists of vanilla ice cream with peppermint pieces strewn throughout. Unlike other stores, Braums opts for the peppermint pieces to be blended with the ice cream instead of sprinkled on top which makes for a creamier shake. Not only does Braums’ small shakes only cost $2.69 but they also offer peppermint all throughout the year so customers can have some holiday spirit whenever they want. 

While Braums may have won due to its classic take on the peppermint milkshake, there is definitely no lack of holiday spirit in Edmond’s ice cream scene.

Contact Adeline Gruen at [email protected]