Shake Basics

Beyond vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, shakes can be made in many flavors, and serve many different purposes on a menu.

CHAPTER 2

Shake Basics

MILKSHAKES JUST MAY BE THE ULTIMATE LIQUID MULTITASKER

A great shake is part beverage, part dessert, a healthy and convenient breakfast stand-in, or an indulgent afternoon snack. They also go great with a burger. Small wonder that burger specialists like Red Robin, Five Guys, and DMK Burger Bar pair their burgers with high-quality housemade shakes.

Shakes can be made with ice cream, soft-serve, frozen yogurt, or pourable mixes for a variety of different textures, flavors, and price points. The growing availability of easy-to-use milkshake bases and kits, as well as mixers, puts shakes well within the reach of a variety of foodservice operations, even self-service. Many of these products also fit in with current dietary concerns about fat, sugar, and dairy/animal product consumption.

Milkshakes tie with lemonade and orange juice as the most-loved nonalcoholic beverages.¹

Functional and nutrition-oriented attributes such as protein or flaxseed can be offered as milkshake premiums. And of course, the possibilities for indulgence mix-ins like candies or cookie pieces are significant. Sonic’s popular Hand-Mixed Master Shakes and its Sonic Blast program highlight branded treats like Butterfinger and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough additions.

There’s innovation in milkshake flavors as well. Although chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry are the three most popular flavors, shake makers are setting themselves apart with flavors like mint, Meyer lemon, papaya, cappuccino, salted caramel, and even unusual one-offs like bacon. The shake lineup at Red Robin, for instance, includes the Silver Spoon S’mores, made with toasted mini marshmallows, graham cracker crumbs, and chocolate syrup topped with whipped cream and fudge-dipped graham crackers.

In fact, more can be more when it comes to shake varieties. Cook Out, a fast-food chain located predominantly in the Southeast, is known for its shakes, offering 40 different flavors including watermelon, caramel fudge, cheesecake, walnut, peanut butter banana, and peach cobbler.

Milkshakes have high appeal with Millennial and Generation Z customers.²

Milkshakes can easily support a premium of $4–$6 or more, so it behooves operators to use some simple selling strategies to build sales, such as:

Offer a dairy-free alternative based on plant-based ice cream such as almond milk ice cream
Serve the shake in an attractive tall glass that highlights the color and texture of the mix; don’t forget to include a spoon as well as a straw
Think of shakes as a vehicle for repurposing overripe or imperfect fruit with a Shake Special of the Day

Ramp up the indulgence factor with whipped cream, sprinkles, cookie crumbles, syrup drizzles, or a cherry
An individually made shake can be presented in the blending canister, with just some of the beverage poured out into the glass

Shake Up Promotions

Well-executed promotions and specials help build shake excitement.

Whether they’re served as an indulgent beverage, a drinkable snack, or a dessert, shakes respond particularly well to promotions and specials, including seasonal formats, LTOs (limited-time offers), or dollars-off deals.

Some of the most popular LTO shakes incorporate unique flavors, ingredients, or themes that really tout the treat factor and push the beverage squarely into the dessert category: strawberry cheesecake, s’mores, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, butter cookie, frozen hot chocolate, Greek yogurt, and mint chocolate chip.

Here are some additional promotional shake ideas:

Offer a happy hour special price on shakes during the late afternoon
Package a shake with a burger or sandwich for one price
Look into boozy shakes for grownup tastes, either using existing shake recipes or developing new ones that match up with spirits like bourbon, rum, or a liqueur such as Kahlua or amaro
Consider a create-your-own shake program with combinations of flavors, syrups, and toppings
Provide value-added à la carte mix-ins like spirulina, protein powder, chia seeds, bee pollen, or CBD oil
Tout a well-known branded or locally popular ice cream
Tie in with branded candies, dessert spreads, cookie crumbles, cereal, or syrups/jams as premium ingredients
Blend a slice of pie or cheesecake into a super-premium shake
Build a shake around coffee, cold brew, tea, or chai

51% of consumers think milkshakes are the most appealing nonalcoholic dessert.³

OPERATOR SPOTLIGHT
The Steak ‘n Shake chain offers 1/2 Price Happy Hour on shakes and other beverages between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. The program includes more than 20 different kinds of shakes, from chocolate to turtle caramel nut.

_{^{Source: Technomic, Milkshake Menu Trends (2019). Additional Sources: 1. Datassential Keynote Report: Non-alcoholic Beverages (2019). 2. Datassential SNAP! Milkshakes (2020). 3. Technomic 2019 Dessert Consumer Trend Report.}}