Chick-fil-A Debuts Hand-Spun Milkshakes

Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. is enhancing its dessert menu with the addition of hand-spun Milkshakes. On May 22, the chain will roll out four flavors of Milkshakes: cookies & cream, strawberry, chocolate and vanilla.

"For years, our customers have pleaded for us to add milkshakes to the menu," said Woody Faulk, Chick-fil-A's vice president of brand development. "Nearly 70 percent of the customers we interviewed said they wanted the opportunity to enjoy milkshakes at Chick-fil-A. Yet, the message was loud and clear -- they expected nothing less than the highest quality product from Chick-fil-A, which meant using the finest ingredients and for the shake to be hand-spun."

The new Milkshakes are made from Chick-fil-A's popular "home-style" Icedream®, and are topped with light whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. Premium ingredients, including Oreo® Sandwich Cookies and HERSHEY'S chocolate syrup, guarantee the high level of quality that complements Chick-fil-A's menu. Milkshakes will be offered in a 20 oz. cup and are priced starting at $2.79 each at most locations.

"Today, our overall menu must satisfy both a discerning and demanding customer with more choices," added Faulk. "Our challenge is to add appropriate quality choices while maintaining product leadership with our core menu items in a quick-service setting. These hand-spun Milkshakes, like the recent additions of our new fruit cup, premium coffees, a new chargrilled sandwich, and enhanced breakfast line-up, help us to do this as we continue to offer a menu of choices that balance taste and nutrition."

Before rolling out its new dessert option nationally, Chick-fil-A conducted an extensive year-long evaluation of the new Milkshakes in 26 restaurants in Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina. In a corporate-sponsored survey in the test restaurants, customers rated the hand-spun Milkshakes a 4.6 out of 5 in overall taste. Customers also said the new Milkshakes tasted like authentic ice cream parlor milkshakes, with comments like: "It was the first fast-food milkshake that actually tasted like it was homemade."