13 Signature Fast Food Desserts, Ranked

Everyone loves a little bite of something sweet, whether it’s a daily treat, post-dinner dessert, or a little pick-me-up at the end of a long week. With so many fast food options out there, it’s easy to fall into the same routine and not even think twice about what to order. Well, if you’re looking to branch out and try something new, we can help. I tried desserts from a variety of fast food restaurants and ranked them based on quality, texture, flavor, and where applicable, moisture. Personally, I’d rather skip dessert than eat a cookie that’s overly dry, so moisture is certainly a feature that I pay close attention to and appreciate in a baked dessert. See the end of the article for more details on how I made ranking decisions for these desserts. Let’s dive in to the front runners and the under-performers. 

Though there was some shifting in the car on the way home and some slight melting, this concrete from Culver’s is the big winner tonight. And yes, I did get to pick my own toppings, but I went with classic flavors of chocolate and peanut butter Reese’s cups, which were a perfect pair. But beyond that, the texture of the custard was super smooth and creamy and held up to a bit of wait time before melting. 

Culver’s uses Reeses cups, not Reese’s Pieces, which is a great choice in my opinion. I’m not a fan of cold chocolate chips or other hard chocolate candies like Reese’s Pieces in my ice cream — they get stuck in your teeth, are too crunchy, and the flavor is usually weak. Luckily, Culver’s seems to know this too, and opted for the softer and easier-to-enjoy Reese’s cups. These offered a touch of texture in the smooth custard and that pop of warm peanut butter flavor against the chocolate. Overall, the quality of the ingredients and the variety of mix-ins to choose from made my concrete absolutely delicious and could do the same for most custard lovers.

The Chick-fil-A peach milkshake is a classic summertime fan favorite and is well deserving of the title. The picture doesn’t do it justice, I promise. I should have gone with no whip for aesthetic reasons, but it certainly didn’t hinder the flavor. Made with the chain’s vanilla Icedream, real peach puree, and topped with whipped cream and a cherry when you order drive through or carry out. 

This milkshake is light, flavorful, and has a great balance between the sugary sweetness of the vanilla base and the tangy summery pop of the peach puree. And the texture of the peaches is too good. They are certainly finely blended into the puree, but not so much of a liquid that there aren’t some tiny, lovely little peach pieces in each sip. Not to mention, it was totally easy to drink through the straw which I always appreciate. 

For a dessert I had never heard of from a restaurant I’ve not yet tried, this berry biscuit with a sweet icing was an unexpected pleasure. I don’t prefer a fast food biscuit (or honestly, any biscuit) in general, so I was a bit nervous that this would be a dry, bland mess of crumbs. But this biscuit didn’t rely on heaps of icing to keep the moisture, as you can see. Now, it was still a biscuit, so it did have a bit of a crumble to it, but it kept its moisture for a bite that didn’t turn into a dry paste in your mouth. 

The base of the biscuit was sweet, but not overly so, and the fruity flavor of the berries was allowed to shine. Honestly, the icing was my least favorite part. It was a bit too saccharine to match up with the somewhat earthy flavor of the biscuit. Overall, it was pretty balanced, and Bojangles was smart to keep the icing to a small drizzle. 

I was totally excited to try this chocolate silk-style pie and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The crust was crumbly and soft without much crunch, which I was totally fine with. The whipped chocolate and creme fillings were flavorful and smooth, and the chocolate drizzle and chocolate chips on top were separated enough to not be too overwhelming. 

I would have rated this higher among all chocolate desserts, but there was definitely a powerful chocolate punch that made me glad the cake was so thin from crust to toppings. Each bite was jam-packed and intense in flavor. So if you’re a chocolate lover who doesn’t want to deal with a brain freeze, this might be the fast food dessert for you! It is still frozen when you purchase it, but the consistency of the whipped filling allows it to warm up to a palatable cold or cool temperature without shocking sensitive teeth or brains.

This salted caramel and chocolate chip cookie from Arby’s absolutely did not disappoint. It even came out warmed, which I appreciated. It didn’t necessarily wow me with powerful salted caramel, but it did have some savory notes to balance the sweet dough and plentiful chocolate chips. This cookie was soft, moist, and packed with flavor. It ran a bit on the sweet side, but the slight saltiness helped balance it a bit. It was the tallest of all the cookies by about double — almost as tall as the brownie, so I was going into this taste test expecting it to be rich. Boy was I right. 

I was impressed by the overall experience of the dessert, as I really hadn’t thought of Arby’s as the dessert spot, but even though the salted caramel vibes were lacking, it was still pretty darn good. And when it comes to cookies, moisture is a big factor that plays into my impression, so this checked that box big time. 

This cherry limeade slush took me right back to high school nights — pulling up to the drive-in and being impressed that the servers could skate with a whole tray of food balanced on one hand. It was a juicy, bold switch up from the chocolate and vanilla profiles of nearly every other dessert, and I appreciated the pops of summery flavor. 

I did find it a bit too tart to be perfectly tuned to my palate, but I certainly didn’t want it any sweeter either. If you like a super tangy limeade then this will totally be the drink for you. I was worried about this frozen treat melting right into a crazy strong juice, so I tried it right away and the consistency was perfect. It was certainly frozen, but was still juicy and melty enough to have flavor in each and every sip. And no worrying about sucking up air or leaving yourself with bland ice shavings at the end after you’ve sucked up all the good parts. The texture was perfect for a slush, if the sourness was a touch on the intense side. 

As the only dessert on Wingstop’s menu in my area, this brownie pulls its weight. I prefer a fudgey brownie to a cakey one, and this did not disappoint. It was gooey, soft, totally moist, and the chocolate chunks were well-distributed throughout without being overwhelming. It was certainly a powerful chocolatey punch, so be sure to have a glass of milk handy (especially if you find yourself needing to cut the heat from those atomic sauce-covered wings). 

For a fast food brownie, it was delish, but the feeling of wanting something to wash it down with immediately after I tried it left me feeling like it was a bit too intense to be a top favorite. This also came out a bit warm, which I think is the best way to enjoy a brownie. Wingstop sure knows what its doing with this single, solid, dessert option. 

These funnel cake fries were a nice switch up from the chocolate and tangy explosions of the other desserts, but were a bit underwhelming overall. Don’t get me wrong, they were still pretty good, but they were lacking any exceptional flavor boost or unique texture to really make them awesome. They’re a solid choice if you’re at Rally’s, for sure, but if you’re stopping out to grab a quick sweet treat, this wouldn’t be my first choice.

Considering this dessert was from Rally’s, which in my experience is notorious for either burning its fries, or letting them sit under the heat lamp until they turn into dry husks of seasoned salt, I was impressed by the relatively soft and fresh taste of these funnel cake fries. It certainly did evoke memories of state fair funnel cakes, and had a peculiar, unexpected bit of maple flavor that almost reminded me of a breakfast snack that I enjoyed during a ranking of Burger King’s breakfast menu.

This Subway chocolate chip cookie was standard by all metrics. It didn’t blow me out of the park by any means, but didn’t have me swearing off of them forever, either. It was relatively moist and had a soft, chewy texture. The chocolate chips were evenly distributed and I got one in each bite. They weren’t too sweet or too bitter either, and I was quite pleased by their distribution and quantity. It certainly elevated the quality of the dessert. As far as a fast food cookie goes, it was pretty good. But personally, if I wanted a standard chocolate chip cookie, I’d whip up a quick and easy recipe at home before buying one of these. 

Overall, this dessert was standard, lived up to its name, and would meet that sweet treat cravings we all know after we eat a hearty Subway sub, whether you prefer classic or unique new flavor combinations. 

The fact that the ice cream machine at my local McDonald’s was working was the biggest factor that had me enjoying this dessert. I love Oreos as an ice cream topping, as well as savory toppings that take ice cream to the next level. But if I’m going sweet, I’m going Oreo.  Generally, I would go for a mini Oreo McFlurry and add hot fudge (which, after trying this, I affirm is a crucial move). This vanilla soft serve with Oreo crumbles on top was just that — vanilla soft serve with Oreo crumbles on top. Maybe I’ve missed something, but I thought there used to be mix-ins, you know, mixed into the McFlurry. So that was a big letdown. 

Once I made a note of that, I still enjoyed my taste of the top layer, where the Oreo to ice cream ratio was still heavily skewed cookie-side. I love a cookies and cream dessert, and still appreciated the combination, but was disappointed to find the cookies not mixed in. Not the end of the world, but certainly got this dessert demoted.

I was looking forward to trying a Jimmy John’s cookie, as it’s been many years since I’ve visited this sandwich spot. The regular chocolate chip was all that was available at my location and I’ve got to say, it was a total letdown. Maybe this batch was old. I’m sure I would have loved the lemon sunshine or the oatmeal raisin cookie. 

I generally think that white chocolate chips are too sweet and not layered enough, but in this cookie, their buttery taste was actually a highlight. The dough itself was completely dry, and the chocolate and white chocolate chips couldn’t quite make up for it. The flavor balance was average, and wasn’t too sweet or too bold (that’s for sure) but the dryness completely overshadowed the positive qualities. I wouldn’t be ordering this one again.

I’ve never been a Wendy’s Frosty lover or hater, particularly. I’ve always thought they were alright, and were greatly improved with the dipping of some french fries into them, but this one I tried started to freak me out. I knew it would likely be the loosest of the ice cream desserts, and the most likely to melt quickly, so I even saved it for last. I’ll admit, it was hot out, but by the time I got home the top layer had melted. Well, not just melted. I can handle (and understand) a bit of soupiness after you bring an ice cream home — duh — but the top half-inch of this treat had turned completely to foam while it melted. This was super off-putting, and reminded me of my least favorite Aldi ice creams I’ve tried. Perhaps some french fries would have helped, but unfortunately, that was not how I got to taste this dessert. Maybe one of Wendy’s new frosty flavors would have been more impressive. 

I had a strong feeling, given my preference for a fruity dessert and as someone who notices a dry dessert, that these cinnamon twists would come low on the list. But I tried still to give them an objective tasting. I will say, either they have gotten a bit better overall since I last tried them in my adolescence, or this batch was just absolutely coated with cinnamon sugar. 

The sweetness was balanced with the bit of spice from the cinnamon as the twist itself didn’t contribute much flavor — if any. If you’re someone who likes a super crispy and dry dessert with a good crunch, this is certainly the budget treat for you. Personally, I value the integrity of my gums a bit too much to really get into these, but I know they’re a Taco Bell classic and tons of peoples’ absolute favorite, so I had to give them another go. 

To try all these desserts I embarked on a journey around my hometown to hit each fast food restaurant’s drive-through or walk-in. I prioritized getting the ice cream treats and beverages last to reduce melting and maintain the flavor, texture, and appearance as best I could. (Unfortunately due to the layout of my town, the Chick-fil-A milkshake paid the price.) I prefer a more balanced dessert compared to flavor explosions that some of these options boast, and I do love fruit desserts, so that likely played a role in my ranking. Overall though, I tried to evaluate each option based mostly on objective observations, and prioritized both flavor and mouthfeel.

When it came to tasting these items I started with the ice creams, milkshakes, and frozen sweets for obvious melting-related reasons. I was excited to try the BK Hershey’s pie so I tried that one first, and then moved through the other more similar desserts. Luckily the peach milkshake and cherry limeade drinks broke up the list of richer ice creams, and both really stood out for their differences which was refreshing. 

When it was time for handhelds I started with the cookies and brownie so I could really compare them to one another in terms of sweetness, moisture, balance of flavor, and my overall experience with each. Then I tried the miscellaneous desserts — the Taco Bell cinnamon twists, the Bojangles Bo-Berry biscuit, and the Rally’s funnel cake fries, comparing them all with similar metrics and evaluating their overall quality against the frozen competitors.