Whataburger's New Shake Flavor Is A Twist On A Southern Delight

Lounging in the sun, taking in the delicious aromas wafting from the grill, and enjoying a sweet scoop of a classic dessert at the end of your meal is the perfect way to spend a summer day. And if you're longing for a taste of nostalgia on the table this summer, you may want to take notice of the new shake flavor Whataburger is blending up this season. There's no monkeying around with this southern favorite flavor, which is being featured as part of a limited-time shake offering at the chain.

Certain desserts are universal, but others are rooted in a particular region. Some are obvious, like New York cheesecake, Boston cream pie, and Mississippi mud pie. But for many southerners, banana pudding has become that simple dessert that always receives applause around the table. Serious Eats did a deep dive on the evolution of this layered dessert sometimes served in mason jars, and found that while banana pudding didn't instantly arrive into this world as a Southern treat, it "has a strong, genuine Southern identity that stretches back more than half a century." Indeed, banana pudding can be found at church potlucks, barbecue restaurants, and now, flavoring a Whataburger shake.

While that A-frame orange and white striped roof might have been a beacon to hungry diners in year's past, Whataburger is still going strong to this day, and is currently serving a summer shake flavor that brings a taste of nostalgia to the table. The iconic Texas quick service restaurant might be loved for its honey butter chicken biscuit or its Double Meat Whataburger, but the chain's shakes shouldn't necessarily be overlooked. They're considered one of the more popular fast food milkshakes, and the limited-time flavors available at Whataburger often give the three standard flavors — chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry — a run for their money.

According to a company statement, the Whataburger Banana Pudding Shake blends a vanilla shake base with banana pudding flavor. Although it does not appear that there are any Nilla Wafers either in the shake or on top (unlike Sonic's banana pudding shake that was available in August 2021), the chain's executive VP and chief marketing officer insists that "the nostalgic flavor of banana pudding is perfectly captured in our newest shake." Brand Eating suggests that a small shake has a starting price of $2.79 for a 12-oz small, but of course, prices can vary by location. This shake might not be grandma's banana pudding recipe, but hey, you can't get that at a drive-thru.