REVIEW: Chick-fil-A Diet Frosted Lemonade

Chick-fil-A Diet Frosted Lemonade

Somewhere right now there is a Buzzfeed writer pondering potential candidates for a completely arbitrary list of the Top Ten Secret Menu Fast Dessert mashups. Between rethinking his or her seventh place entry of a Chili Cheese Tater Tot Milkshake from Sonic, and committing to the fourth place finisher of an Bacon Apple Pie McGriddle (note: someone make this happen), she realizes all the actual good combinations have already gone mainstream.

Case in point: Chick-fil-A’s new Frosted Lemonade.

Don’t let the “new” signs fool you. Veteran Chick-fil-A eaters like me have long known of its existence. Have I ever tried the formerly secret menu item before? Well no, but that’s because I do my most intrepid fast food eating on Sundays, and yea…

Anyways, the combination of soft serve Ice Dream and Chick-fil-A’s fresh-squeezed lemonade has always been something your friend’s cousin’s roommate’s sister made for herself when she worked there, but heretofore has never gotten official recognition. That’s a damn shame if you ask me, because lemon is seriously one of the most underrated dessert flavors. Lemonade, Lemon Poppy Seed, Lemon Meringue; heck, even Lemonheads. You get the point, and so apparently does Chick-fil-A.

I was a little worried at first that the Frosted Lemonade would be more drink than ice cream, but that turns out to not be the case. There’s still plenty of bright, citrusy, and sweet lemonade flavor to love, but unlike popular frozen lemon desserts like lemon Italian Ice or even those thick frozen lemonades you sometimes find at baseball stadiums, the Frosted Lemonade has a distinct dairy flavor and milkshake texture. The first few sips came with some effort, and while not quite as thick as a real ice cream milkshake (like the excellent ones from Sonic) it comes close to the thickness of Chick-fil-A’s milkshakes.

Similarly, any fears of a saccharine or cloying artificial sweetener aftertaste in my Diet version of the frozen lemonade were quickly dismissed (although not quickly enough to lead to a brain freeze), with my tastebuds registering only a clean and altogether lemony flavor. I’m not sure if this is more due to the three ingredients in the Diet version (water, lemon juice, Splenda) or the sweetness of the soft serve ice cream, but you would have been hard pressed to convince me it was a diet version of anything had I not ordered it.

Chick-fil-A Diet Frosted Lemonade 2

The soft serve, which I’ve always found thicker and more authentic in dairy flavor than most fast food soft serve (oh, the irony) cuts whatever tartness the lemonade has, and rounds out the flavor to something altogether pleasant and mellow, with just enough richness to remind yourself that you’re drinking something on the dessert menu.

Some old fogies and lemonade traditionalists may scoff at this lack of zing and pulp in the lemon flavor, but the last thing I want stuck in my ice cream is pulp from a lemon. If I have one complaint it’s that the Frosted Lemonade could have been richer and creamier. With bottles of whipped cream in store, I’m sure your friend’s cousin’s roommate’s sister topped a Frosted Lemonade with the stuff. Who knows? Maybe the Frosted Whipped Cream Lemonade will be the next dessert addition to the Chick-fil-A menu. One can always hope.

(Nutrition Facts – 260 calories, 50 calories from fat, 6 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 39 grams of sugar, 6 grams of protein, and 25% calcium.)

Item: Chick-fil-A Diet Frosted Lemonade
Purchased Price: $2.75
Size: 16 oz.
Purchased at: Chick-fil-A
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Bright and sweet lemony flavor. Not sour at all, nor cloying nor artificial. Milkshake-like texture without the heaviness. Hints of dairy richness.
Cons: Pulp fans will be unimpressed at the lack of pulpage. A bit pricey for the size. Could use a bit more creaminess. Not having the balls to ask for whipped cream.

15 thoughts to “REVIEW: Chick-fil-A Diet Frosted Lemonade”

  1. There are a few things I’ve had that I swear I will crave if I ever find myself pregnant – this (the non-diet version anyway) is pretty high on that list. Really, really, good.

    1. Yeah, I was thinking that, too. Reading through the review, I kept going “Soft serve? But… he said diet in the title. Is it sugar free ice cream or something? Do fast food places offer that?”.

      1. Chick-fil-A offers regular and diet lemonade. Our writer had his with Diet lemonade so I felt it was appropriate to titled this post with “diet”.

    2. Agreed. I don’t know how they can call it “diet”, when “diet” to me indicates low carbs and safe for
      a Type II like me to drink. My A1C went through the roof this summer because I was drinking them.

      I wish they truly were “diet”. They’re incredibly good and as it turns out, too good to be truly “diet”.

      1. It’s made with diet lemonade. It’s not up to a company to ensure you eat what you should. It’s a desert.

    3. I agree, nothing diet about this! I Amin a special diet per my doctor…. no sugar allowed… I had one then read the nutritional information!!! I was shocked and Pissed off!!

      1. I AGREE 100%!!! I was VERY UPSET!!! Didn’t know I have to read all ingredients when it says DIET!!!

  2. Ask them to add a squirt from the strawberry gun used for milkshakes! Strawberry+lemonade+icedream= <3

  3. OMGoodness. I’m sold and looking for a knockoff recipe that will be just as satisfying but cut the carbs/calories even further or I won’t get through my front door if I continue to slurp these suckers up (I’ve only had one small). This is seriously good stuff.

  4. I work at a Chick-fil-A. Whipped cream is available at no charge; I’m sure the team members would be more than happy to top your frosted lemonade with some. 🙂 And yes, try the strawberry topping in it! It costs a few cents more but is so worth it!

    1. It’s made with diet lemonade. So yeah, it’s the diet version. Almost 100 cal less than the regular.

    2. Yes just realized and my husband is Type 1 diabetic. Have to just drink the diet lemonade

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