I tried 6 fast-food lemonades. A recently revamped recipe was my favorite.
From left to right (in descending size order), I tried lemonades from Wendy's, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, McDonald's, Sonic, and Panera.
I opted for a medium or regular size from each location. When chains offered different flavors of lemonade, I went for the classic option.
My least favorite was from Wendy's.
Wendy's actually has an entire lemonade menu, called Dave's Craft Lemonade Menu, which offers four kinds of lemonade: Tangerine Twist (new this summer), Pineapple Mango, Strawberry, and All-Natural, which is what I ordered.
A medium lemonade at my local Wendy's on Long Island cost $3.69. At 32 fluid ounces, it was the largest drink of the six, and technically the best value.
This was essentially water with a hint of lemon.
This didn't taste bad, exactly, just bland. Fans of seltzers like La Croix and Spindrift might prefer this lemonade, since it wasn't overly sweet — it just tasted very watery.
This might also be a result of the cup's size. It required a lot of ice to fill up, which could've watered my drink down a bit.
Next up was Panera's Agave Lemonade.
I ordered a regular Agave Lemonade from Panera, which cost $3.29. It was one of the smallest cups of lemonade I bought, at 20 fluid ounces.
According to Panera's menu, its lemonade contains "lemon juice, sugar, agave nectar, and water " — and no artificial sweeteners.
Give me pure sugar over agave any day.
Maybe I've just had one too many margaritas, but the agave taste was not for me, and the aftertaste was even worse. It was so sugary that I felt like a cavity spontaneously formed in one of my molars.
Between its sweetness and relatively small size, I can't recommend this lemonade, but maybe agave lovers would enjoy it.
In fourth place was Sonic's All Natural Lemonade.
Sonic has a ton of lemonades and limeades to try, including cherry, strawberry, cranberry, blueberry lavender, dragonberry, and more.
I paid $4.29 for a medium All Natural Lemonade at Sonic, which is 20 fluid ounces. That made this the most expensive and one of the smallest lemonades I tried.
I enjoyed this lemonade, but it was quite syrupy.
I think this was one of the sweetest lemonades I tried, but I didn't hate it.
What really puts this at No. 4, though, is the value. It was more money for less liquid.
Next up was Burger King, which sells Minute Maid Lemonade.
As a kind of control group, I wanted to add a chain that doesn't have a proprietary lemonade recipe and instead uses a mass-produced brand like Minute Maid.
A medium lemonade at Burger King cost me $2.59 for 30 fluid ounces, making it the cheapest one on this list.
It was good, but not great.
This was a perfectly average cup of fast-food lemonade. It was a bit sweet and artificial tasting, but it was essentially what I expected from Minute Maid and Burger King.
The value is what bumped this up to No. 3.
My runner-up was Chick-fil-A's lemonade.
A medium lemonade at Chick-fil-A set me back $3.42 for 20 fluid ounces.
Chick-fil-A's lemonade had remnants of lemon pulp in it.
Typically, I'm not a pulp person. However, it surprised me to have some lemon pulp in my lemonade, and it made me feel like I was drinking a freshly squeezed cup of lemonade — it tasted like it, too.
Besides the texture, my other complaint about Chick-fil-A's lemonade was that my ice melted way too quickly. It was almost entirely gone by the time I got home — and it wasn't just because it was a hot day; all the other lemonades I had remained full of ice.
Chick-fil-A uses nugget ice, which is essentially small, chewable pellets of ice. Sonic uses that ice too, but for some reason — maybe the cup? — its ice stayed intact. The other chains used normal cubes or crushed ice, which also did not melt as quickly.
My favorite fast-food lemonade came from McDonald's.
In April, McDonald's replaced the Minute Maid lemonade it had been using with a new offering called Premium Lemonade.
The Premium Lemonade has "lemon juice, lemon pulp, and cane sugar" in it, the chain said at the time.
I paid $2.89 for a medium, which is 21 fluid ounces.
This was the most refreshing cup of lemonade I drank.
I took a sip of this and immediately thought to myself, "This is what lemonade should taste like."
It was crisp, not too sweet, not too bitter, had the perfect amount of ice, and tasted like a sip of summertime.
And at $2.89, it was the second-cheapest lemonade I tried. You can't go wrong with this option.
I might've gone into a sugar coma, but it was worth it to find out what the best fast-food lemonade is.
All these lemonades have something to offer, whether it's a cheap price, varied levels of sweetness, different types of ice, or different types of sweetener.
But, if I had to pick one, McDonald's would be my recommendation for anyone in search of a cool glass of lemonade on a hot summer's day.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Business Insider
I tried barbecue burgers from Burger King, Shake Shack, and Smashburger. The best one tasted restaurant-quality.
For many people, barbecue sauce is a summer staple. The flavor profile is everywhere, from cookouts to the drive-thru line. But when it comes to which fast-food chain delivers the best bang for your buck with its barbecue burger, that's a little more up in the air. I tried barbecue burgers from Burger King, Shake Shack, and Smashburger to determine which chain offered the best taste and value. Here's how three fast-food barbecue burgers ranked, from worst to best. The burger came topped with pieces of crispy onions. The burger came topped with cheddar cheese, applewood smoked bacon, crispy fried onions, and barbecue a pile of crispy onion bits, I could clearly see the barbecue sauce, although overall, the burger looked and felt a little dry when I picked it up. The burger patty was also dry and well-done. I'm not a fan of any burger cooked past medium, so this well-done patty simply wasn't doing it for me, but how a burger is cooked is a matter of personal cheese on the burger I tried also wasn't melted enough to provide enough moisture to counteract the dryness of the the bacon on this burger blew me away. It was smoky and perfectly cooked. The barbecue burger from Burger King landed squarely in the middle of my ranking. I ordered the BBQ bacon Whopper Jr. and added cheese. It cost $11.09, excluding tax and fees, which I thought was a little pricey for a junior-sized burger. I would order this burger again, but it didn't blow me away. The bacon was crispy, though not as flavorful as the bacon from the other two burgers I tried. However, I thought this was a great classic cheeseburger. The onions, lettuce, and tomato were fresh, and the beef was juicy while still retaining a smoky, chargrilled it tasted similarly to a classic Whopper, and I didn't get a strong barbecue flavor from it. It was a classic cheeseburger, but I was looking for more barbecue flavor. My favorite burger came from Shake Shack. Shake Shack, which has US locations in 30 states and Washington, DC, offers two different kinds of barbecue burgers: the Smoky Classic BBQ burger and the Carolina BBQ burger with fried pickles.I ordered the classic version, which is topped with fried onions and bacon. It cost $13.29, excluding tax and fees, making it the most expensive burger of the bunch. The cheese was perfectly melted, and the onions were crispy and mouthwatering. The cheese was evenly coated on every inch of the thin, crispy patty, and the bun held everything together while still retaining its softness. This Shake Shack burger blew me away. It tasted restaurant-quality. Though thin and crispy, the burger was still perfectly cooked at a medium temperature, and the onions, though crispy, weren't hard, crunchy, and dry like the onions on the Smashburger cheeseburger I than bits of cut-up onions that didn't have much flavor, these onions were more similar to onion rings, and instantly transported me back to summer carnivals and roadside pickles added a tart, crunchy flavor, and this was the only burger where I really tasted the barbecue sauce. It was smoky yet light and had a slight vinegar taste that balanced out the richer flavors of the cheese, beef, and it was the most expensive burger, I thought it was well worth the slightly higher price.
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business Insider
I compared McDonald's long-awaited Snack Wraps with Popeyes' chicken wraps. Both were delicious, but one is poised to win the wrap battle.
McDonald's Snack Wraps are back on menus after being discontinued in 2016. Popeyes offers its own version of the iconic wraps. I compared both chains' chicken wraps and was torn about which wrap was most worth ordering again. The Snack Wrap is officially back after years of anticipation. McDonald's Snack Wraps returned to nationwide menus on July 10 after almost a decade of fans begging for their comeback. The wraps, which are a fan-favorite among McDonald's customers, disappeared from many menus in 2016 before being officially discontinued by the chain in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to downsize menus. Since then, other chains, from Burger King to Popeyes, have released their own chicken wraps to fill the void for customers still hungry for the beloved Snack Wraps. And now, it's an all-out chicken wrap battle. Upon the release of McDonald's new Snack Wraps, Popeyes — which launched its own lineup of wraps in June — advertised a promotion to give away a chicken wrap with any purchase of $5 or more until July 13. Both chains' wraps have a similar price point. But which chain is poised to win the wrap wars? I tried McDonald's and Popeyes' lineup of chicken wraps to determine which one was most worth snacking on. Here's how they compared. McDonald's Snack Wraps returned to menus last week. They are priced at $2.99, excluding tax. The paper wrapper showed what kind of wrap was inside, either the spicy version or the ranch version. The Snack Wraps featured a thick tortilla. Both the spicy and ranch Snack Wraps are made with McDonald's new chicken tenders, shredded lettuce, and shredded cheese. The ranch version appeared on McDonald's original lineup of Snack Wraps. This time, however, it's made with the chain's new chicken tenders, which launched in May. The ranch sauce was rich and flavorful, and coated every inch of the chicken tender, tortilla, and toppings. The ranch wrap tasted light, but still had a substantial amount of flavor. The creamy ranch balanced out the fresh-tasting lettuce and the crispy chicken tender, while the tortilla held it all together for easy snacking on the go. The spicy Snack Wrap is made with a new spicy-pepper sauce. This is the newest iteration of the Snack Wrap. When Snack Wraps first left the menu in 2016, they were available with a ranch or honey-mustard sauce. When I opened this wrap, a pretty generous amount of sauce was slathered on the chicken tenders, shredded cheese, and shredded lettuce. The chicken tender was crispy, while the lettuce added freshness. I was impressed by the size of these wraps. Despite being snack-sized, I found one of the wraps filling enough for a quick and easy lunch. The spicy sauce did pack a punch — it didn't leave my mouth tingling from the heat, but it had enough kick to justify the spicy name. That said, I wish there had been more sauce. Some bites were completely dry and lacked any of the spicy, savory sauce. I could see why the McDonald's Snack Wraps are so popular. For a quick, reasonably healthy lunch, these wraps deliver. Crispy chicken, bold flavors, and a budget-friendly price — no wonder fans have been demanding their comeback for years. I tried Popeyes' lineup of wraps to see if they could hold a candle to the iconic Snack Wraps. The wraps are priced at $3.99, excluding tax. They're available in three different flavors: classic, spicy, and honey mustard. Popeyes doesn't have custom wrappings for each kind of wrap. Instead, the different flavors were written in pen on the paper wrapping. Like the Snack Wraps, these chicken wraps come in a tortilla. However, I preferred the one used at McDonald's. While the McDonald's tortilla was thick and held the wraps together perfectly, the wraps I got from Popeyes were made a bit more haphazardly. I was worried that if I were truly on the go, they might fall apart. The classic chicken wrap from Popeyes is made with mayonnaise. The wrap is made with one of Popeyes' chicken tenders, mayonnaise, shredded cheese, lettuce, and pickles. The classic wrap's flavor profile, thanks to the mayonnaise and crunchy pickle slices, somewhat reminded me of the chain's famous chicken sandwich. The wrap could have used a touch more flavor. While I thought the chicken tender was crunchy and juicy, and I loved the addition of the pickles, the mayonnaise lacked flavor compared to McDonald's ranch-smothered wrap. Popeyes also has a honey-mustard version. McDonald's used to sell a honey-mustard version of its Snack Wrap, but that flavor didn't make its way back onto menus this time around. I loved the slightly spicy flavor of the honey-mustard wrap. The pickles and tangy honey mustard packed a lot of flavor into this wrap, while the chicken tender was thick and filling. I would love to see McDonald's bring back a honey mustard version of its Snack Wrap to compare the two. Overall, I preferred Popeyes' spicy chicken wrap to McDonald's Snack Wrap. But the tortilla let me down. While the McDonald's tortilla was thick and had a wheaty flavor, the Popeyes tortilla tasted noticeably dry and bland. However, when it came to the other elements of the spicy wraps — from the lettuce to the amount of sauce — I thought Popeyes far surpassed McDonald's. The spicy sauce completely coated every inch of the wrap. It packed enough heat to be both flavorful and manageable, and the pickles added the perfect balance of texture. Out of all five wraps I tried from both chains, this is the one I'm dying to order again. The chicken wraps from Popeyes did measure up to the Snack Wraps, but fell short in a few areas. While I'm still dreaming about Popeyes' spicy chicken wrap, the chain overall fell short compared to McDonald's in terms of value and the quality of the tortilla used in the wraps. Popeyes' chicken wraps cost $1 more than the Snack Wraps, but they're pretty comparable in terms of size and ingredients. I liked the addition of pickles in the Popeyes wraps and the sheer amount of sauce used in the spicy wrap, but it wasn't enough to justify the higher price tag. While I'll definitely order both chains' chicken wraps again, I walked away thinking that the Snack Wrap is iconic for a reason. Other chains' attempts to replicate its magic are in for an uphill battle.
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business Insider
I tried 6 fast-food lemonades. A recently revamped recipe was my favorite.
That's where fast-food chains come in. I visited six chain restaurants on Long Island, New York — McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, Sonic, Panera, and Chick-fil-A — to determine which fast-food spot has the best lemonade to offer the parched masses. I judged each lemonade based on taste, price, and size of its medium or regular cup. Here's what I thought of each lemonade, ranked from my least to most favorite. My least favorite was from Wendy's. Wendy's actually has an entire lemonade menu, called Dave's Craft Lemonade Menu, which offers four kinds of lemonade: Tangerine Twist (new this summer), Pineapple Mango, Strawberry, and All-Natural, which is what I ordered.A medium lemonade at my local Wendy's on Long Island cost $3.69. At 32 fluid ounces, it was the largest drink of the six, and technically the best value. This was essentially water with a hint of lemon. This didn't taste bad, exactly, just bland. Fans of seltzers like La Croix and Spindrift might prefer this lemonade, since it wasn't overly sweet — it just tasted very might also be a result of the cup's size. It required a lot of ice to fill up, which could've watered my drink down a did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Maybe I've just had one too many margaritas, but the agave taste was not for me, and the aftertaste was even worse. It was so sugary that I felt like a cavity spontaneously formed in one of my its sweetness and relatively small size, I can't recommend this lemonade, but maybe agave lovers would enjoy did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. As a kind of control group, I wanted to add a chain that doesn't have a proprietary lemonade recipe and instead uses a mass-produced brand like Minute Maid.A medium lemonade at Burger King cost me $2.59 for 30 fluid ounces, making it the cheapest one on this list. It was good, but not great. This was a perfectly average cup of fast-food lemonade. It was a bit sweet and artificial tasting, but it was essentially what I expected from Minute Maid and Burger value is what bumped this up to No. King did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. A medium lemonade at Chick-fil-A set me back $3.42 for 20 fluid ounces. Chick-fil-A's lemonade had remnants of lemon pulp in it. Typically, I'm not a pulp person. However, it surprised me to have some lemon pulp in my lemonade, and it made me feel like I was drinking a freshly squeezed cup of lemonade — it tasted like it, the texture, my other complaint about Chick-fil-A's lemonade was that my ice melted way too quickly. It was almost entirely gone by the time I got home — and it wasn't just because it was a hot day; all the other lemonades I had remained full of uses nugget ice, which is essentially small, chewable pellets of ice. Sonic uses that ice too, but for some reason — maybe the cup? — its ice stayed intact. The other chains used normal cubes or crushed ice, which also did not melt as did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. This was the most refreshing cup of lemonade I drank. I took a sip of this and immediately thought to myself, "This is what lemonade should taste like."It was crisp, not too sweet, not too bitter, had the perfect amount of ice, and tasted like a sip of at $2.89, it was the second-cheapest lemonade I tried. You can't go wrong with this did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. I might've gone into a sugar coma, but it was worth it to find out what the best fast-food lemonade is. All these lemonades have something to offer, whether it's a cheap price, varied levels of sweetness, different types of ice, or different types of if I had to pick one, McDonald's would be my recommendation for anyone in search of a cool glass of lemonade on a hot summer's day.
