Saving Room Isn’t Always Worth It
Fast food restaurants know that a sweet treat can make or break an ordinary drive-thru order. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always mean that everything available is worth chasing down with fries. Some arrive dry, others rely too heavily on sugary toppings, and a few just aren’t satisfying enough to justify. Before you let your sweet tooth down, let’s dive into the best and worst options available across those beloved chains.
1. Taco Bell Cinnamon Twists
Taco Bell’s Cinnamon Twists certainly look generous, don’t they? Well, once you peel back the little paper bag, all you really get are airy pieces that barely offer enough substance to carry the cinnamon-sugar coating. Worst still, some batches get considerably more seasoning than others. Either way, once that coating disappears, you’re mostly left crunching through a bland, hollow snack.
Nayanakeagalakada on Wikimedia
2. KFC Apple Pie Poppers
KFC has already had enough weird menu items; we don’t need to add Apple Pie Poppers to the mix! Sure, these offer plenty of flaky pastry, but the tiny amount of filling can make each piece feel disappointingly empty. Some bites only contain a noticeable pocket of apple, too, while others deliver little beyond dough and cinnamon-flavored sweetness.
3. Jack in the Box Chocolate Overload Cake
Chocolate sounds promising in almost any dessert’s name, but this one doesn’t deliver the expected intensity. The cake can taste dry in the center, leaving the frosting to provide nearly all the moisture and sweetness. After a few bites, the heavy texture becomes more noticeable than the actual chocolate.
4. Subway Footlong Cookie
We don’t know who was responsible for this, and we don’t care. It’s an insane idea that doesn’t deliver. The edges get firm before the thick middle has even developed the chewy texture you were expecting. It’s also an awkward amount of dessert unless several people are planning to share it.
5. Domino’s Cinnamon Bread Bites
Domino’s Cinnamon Bread Bites sound more exciting than they taste, which is a shame! In reality, the small dough pieces can quickly turn dense, and the cinnamon coating and icing tend to gather unevenly across the order. By the time you reach the bottom of the box, the remaining bites are nothing but greasy, soggy, and far too sweet.
6. Fazoli’s New York Style Cheesecake With Strawberries
There’s no denying that Fazoli’s serves a recognizable slice of cheesecake—it rarely feels special enough to follow a full meal, though. The dense filling can arrive way too cold, and the strawberry topping adds more sweetness than fresh fruit. Since it’s made by The Cheesecake Factory Bakery rather than in the actual restaurant, the dessert also feels disconnected.
7. Popeyes Strawberry Cheesecake Cup
Popeyes really should just stick to chicken. You’d think the cheesecake would have enough richness and tanginess to keep its sweetness under control, but it doesn’t. It’s instead dominated by its fruit topping, especially when the strawberry mixture gathers in one part of the container. The graham cracker crust also loses its texture beneath the filling.
8. Little Caesars Cookie Dough Brownie With TWIX
Little Caesars has never shied away from weird concoctions, and they flew too close to the sun with this one. It’s just brownie with cookie dough frosting and TWIX pieces, which makes for an extremely busy dessert. Each component is already sweet, so combining all three leaves almost no room for the brownie’s chocolate flavor.
9. McDonald’s M&M’S McFlurry
The M&M’S McFlurry has two dependable names in one menu item, but don’t let that fool you. It is indeed possible for a vanilla base with candy to have a few problems. The shells become way too hard when chilled, and the chocolate centers can stiffen enough to interrupt the otherwise smooth dessert. Uneven mixing also leaves most of the candy near the top instead of throughout the cup.
Like_the_Grand_Canyon on Wikimedia
10. Papa Johns Cinnamon Pull Aparts
Papa Johns adds cinnamon crumbles and cream cheese icing to bite-sized pieces of sweetened dough. Don’t get excited, though. Unfortunately, the icing overwhelms the cinnamon, often collecting between the pieces and making the bottom soggy. Unless they arrive fresh, the pull-aparts are heavier than they need to be.
Fatlouie at en.wikipedia on Wikimedia
Fortunately, fast food chains have also produced desserts that people would build shrines for! Let’s dive into a few options you’d be lucky to sink your teeth into.
1. Wendy’s Chocolate Frosty
Few desserts have maintained their identity as successfully as Wendy’s Chocolate Frosty—and for good reason. Its mild chocolate flavor keeps it from becoming overly sweet, and the thick texture makes it more substantial than your everyday shake. Eat it with a spoon. Dip a fry into it. Whatever the case, the original is difficult to improve!
2. Jollibee Peach Mango Pie
Jollibee knew what they were doing with this one. We’re talking a crisp fried shell with a bright mixture of peach and Philippine mango. You bet we’re ordering it every time! The fruit provides enough acidity to prevent the warm filling from becoming cloying, which is particularly welcome after a fried chicken meal.
3. Domino’s Chocolate Lava Crunch Cakes
If you’re going to do chocolate, you need to do it right, and the Domino’s Chocolate Lava Crunch Cake does exactly that. One bite is all it takes for the warm fudge center that gives the dessert its reputation. And since an order comes with two, you can share one without giving away the entire dessert.
4. Chick-fil-A Chocolate Chunk Cookie
Chick-fil-A’s Chocolate Chunk Cookie proves that a straightforward fast food dessert can still taste well-prepared. Just look at it! The oats give the cookie a substantial texture, while the combination of milk and semisweet chocolate produces plenty of flavor without burying the dough. The restaurants also bake them throughout the day, so you might get one that’s pleasantly warm.
5. Dairy Queen Blizzards
We have DQ, and we have beloved treats. What more could we ask for? As it turns out, nothing! It’s one of the safest and most satisfying combinations. Crushed cookie or candy pieces add crunch and chocolate flavor throughout the vanilla soft serve rather than a silly little topping. It’s familiar, it’s generously mixed, and best of all, it’s available all year.
6. McDonald’s Baked Apple Pie
As much as we miss the fried stuff, a baked pie still earns its place through a straightforward combination of warm apples, cinnamon, and a sugar-topped lattice crust. Not to mention, baking gives the shell a lighter finish than a heavily fried pastry while still providing enough firmness around the filling.
Aranami from Arvada, CO, US on Wikimedia
7. Arby’s Jamocha Shake
Coffee and chocolate? Count us in! Arby’s Jamocha Shake has a more distinctive flavor than the standard chocolate option, and it’s all thanks to the coffee note that cuts through the creamy sweetness. It’s an especially good choice when a plain vanilla or strawberry shake sounds a little too predictable.
Kenneth C. Zirkel on Wikimedia
8. Jack in the Box Mini Churros
Who doesn't love mini-sized things? Well, Jack in the Box keeps its Mini Churros simple, and that restraint works in their favor. The bite-sized pieces have a crisp exterior, a soft center, and enough cinnamon sugar to flavor the pastry without burying it. It’s really all you could ever ask for.
9. Portillo’s Chocolate Cake Shake
Portillo’s blends pieces of its famous chocolate cake directly into a thick shake—and yes, you should order one! Small bits of cake remain throughout the cup, adding texture and a deeper cocoa flavor than you’ll find in most standard fast food shakes. It’s rich, but in this case, that excess is exactly why you should reach for it.
10. Culver’s Concrete Mixer
Try not to let the name scare you off. Culver’s actually builds its Concrete Mixer with dense frozen custard and your choice of mix-ins—and it’s exactly as good as it sounds. Customization keeps the dessert interesting, too, and the dependable base ensures that even a simple combo is worth it.
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