Customers Are Calling These The 4 Best New Fast Food Desserts Of 2026 So Far

Dessert has earlier origins than you might expect, as humans have been ending meals with sweet treats as far back as ancient times. Dessert isn't just relegated to fancy dinners either, as virtually all fast food joints offer some type of treat to complement its burgers, chicken, and fries. With 2026 more than halfway over, now is a great time to celebrate the best dessert releases we've seen from fast food chains so far. We're highlighting new sweets from your favorite restaurants, including Chick-fil-A, Shake Shack, Wendy's, and Dairy Queen. 

Lovers of frosty treats rejoice, as our list contains milkshakes, ice cream-based confections, floats, and more. From fruit-flavored syrups to riffs on popular campfire food, these desserts are bound to satisfy every sweet tooth. Some of the items here are limited time promotions, so act fast if you see anything especially tempting. Also, remember availability may vary according to location and customer demand. In the event you're not able to snag any of these items, check out our ranking of popular fast food desserts for some alternate options. 

In anticipation of "Minions & Monsters," the latest movie showcasing those weird, banana-obsessed creatures, Wendy's has unleashed a Minions-centric menu. Along with "Minions & Monsters" meals for kids and adults, the chain is offering a new Banana Frosty Swirl for a limited time. The creamy treat comes in chocolate and vanilla flavors and includes a banana cream sauce. The Minions menu also offers new drinks (Pineapple Minion MischieFizz and Goomi's Glimey Lime), as well as collectibles and toys.

Based on customer response, you don't have to be a Minions minion to enjoy this dessert. On Facebook, a fan declared, "That new Banana Frosty from Wendy's is FIREEEEE," while a commenter replied, "Tastes just like banana Laffy Taffy." And on Reddit, a poster admitted the new Frosty flavor was "stupid delicious." This isn't the first time these little yellow dudes joined forces with a restaurant chain. IHOP released a Minions meal in 2022 that left some TikTokers feeling a little unsettled (complaints ranged from underdone chicken to substantial GI distress). Here's hoping Wendy's doesn't experience similar complaints with its own Minions release.

Composed of soft serve ice cream and an array of mix-ins, the Blizzard changed Dairy Queen as we know it when it debuted in 1985. This thick and creamy treat remains a favorite of fans, whether we're talking classic Butterfinger Blizzard or one of the new, limited time concoctions. That brings us to the Strawberry Angel Food Cake Blizzard, which features bits of real strawberries and pillowy cake, finished with a whipped topping.  

A DQ devotee on Reddit said the creamy treat met and exceeded expectations. "It looks just like this picture ... had even more whipped cream ... and it tasted even better than I imagined," they declared, referring to an ad image accompanying the post. Elsewhere on social media, a review on Facebook praised the texture of the angel food cake specifically, stating, "That spongy cake was exactly as I expected it to be! Not frozen, so it will mix up and mix in!!" Dairy Queen offers another fruit-focused limited time flavor in its Strawberry Mango Mochi Blizzard, as well as fun varieties like Cotton Candy, Choco Frosted Donut, and Mexican-Style Hot Chocolate. 

Shake Shack patrons adore the chain's delicious smash burgers, which come with toppings like cheese, avocado, bacon, fried onions, and more. However, the milkshake creations offered by the restaurant is equally impressive. Along with permanent fixtures like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, Shake Shack also features some limited time shakes. Its Chocolate Toasted Marshmallow S'mores Shake is the perfect summertime treat, as it has all the elements of the classic outdoor snack mixed into vanilla frozen custard. 

According to a self-described Shake Shack employee on Reddit, "S'mores shake is the best summer offering. It's so good. Vanilla custard, choc/marsh/graham crumbles, toasted marshmallow fudge. Oh my gawd, it's delicious." For all those etymology nerds out there, the term s'mores likely came from a Girl Scout handbook published in the late 1920s. The campfire snack was originally referred to as "Some More," but may have evolved into its truncated modern form over time. Speaking of summer inspired eats at Shake Shack, the Tropical Mango with Passionfruit Popping Boba and Key Lime Pie shakes also look pretty promising.

A quick perusal of Chick-fil-A's Treat menu shows shakes, cookies, brownies, and Icedream options (i.e. creamy, frosty desserts that can't be called ice cream because they don't contain enough butterfat). The restaurant also features a new line of frosted beverages and floats, which combine soda and Icedream. Both desserts can be paired with any beverage available at Chick-fil-A, such as regular and cherry Coke, Barq's root beer, Dr Pepper, Sprite, Powerade berry, Hi-C fruit punch (though the last two are not actually soda). The difference between these two desserts is simple: Frosted Sodas are made by blending Icedream into the drink, while Floats are unblended and feature a topping of Icedream.

If you're struck by decision paralysis when faced with these tempting options, Reddit can help. In a thread asking for recommendations, a commenter replied, "[Frosted] Dr Pepper. It's the best imo. I do like the Hi-C fruit punch, too, and root beer probably next." Another Redditor gave a vote for the Hi-C version, saying, "It tastes like a maraschino cherry and it's good." We also reviewed Chick-fil-A's Frosted Soda in 2024 before it became a permanent menu item.