AJ Bucy ’27 is a prospective English and History double major. She is a member of Orchesis Modern Dance Company, Botany and The Women’s Network Club. Contact her at ajbucy@wm.edu.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.
The Commons, colloquially known as Caf, has brought in new milkshakes this semester that bring all the boys to the yard (and of course everyone else too). As a freshman, I cannot speak on the quality of the dining services in years past. However, I can say that what I’ve experienced thus far, the food has more variety and flavor than I originally thought it would. Caf’s addition of milkshakes, on top of smoothies earlier this semester, has made it my favorite dining hall.
During Parent’s Weekend, Caf introduced five unique milkshake flavors: strawberry, vanilla, Oreos and cream, chocolate and mint chocolate chip.
As an avid ice cream consumer, I feel that I can properly testify for each flavor. Here is a review of the best to worst milkshakes at Caf in order so that you can make your own informed shake selection decisions.
Oreos and cream: No flavor can beat this. It is the perfect blend of my two favorite things: Oreos and vanilla ice cream! Vanilla is a classic flavor and tastes even better in a shake compared to regular ice cream. The smoothness of the shake paired with the crunch of the Oreos makes it satisfying to taste — not to mention it adds actual flavor to the sometimes bland and basic vanilla. Caf also leaves in more chunky Oreos than other shake places, which makes it better compared to restaurants that barely put any Oreos at all in the drink. If you like the Oreo Blasts from Cook Out, you’ll definitely like the Oreos and cream milkshake at Caf.
Strawberry: This flavor tastes very sweet and presents the idea of being healthy while definitely being … not so nutritious (but a good treat nevertheless). The strawberry shakes taste like summer and spring, and sometimes the shake has mini bits of cherry mixed in with it. Some would say this extra bit of cherry makes it the cherry on top! I love the cherry addition, but sometimes it can definitely be too overpowering and take away from the strawberry flavor. Though it’s not my favorite, it fulfills my summer-loving heart during these colder days. The color pink is also a slay for those who enjoy “Barbie” or “Mean Girls.” On Wednesdays, we drink pink!
Vanilla: It’s a good flavor if you want to play it safe as Caf doesn’t add any additional toppings or mix anything extra in it. This is the type of shake I mainly get when I want to dip my fries in, so a big sweet-and-salty fan should get this shake. Pair it with a burger, and it’s practically a “Grease” dinner. Get creative and decorate it with sprinkles/other toppings by the waffle area!
Chocolate: This is for sure controversial, but I am just not a chocolate stan. The chocolate shakes are always just a little too sweet, but I can see the appeal for chocolate lovers. It is rich and probably the creamiest flavor out of all of them. It tastes like cold hot chocolate, and I can definitely get behind the idea of that as a hot cocoa enthusiast. Seriously, this is the perfect shake for all you sweet tooths out there.
Mint chocolate chip: People who prefer mint chocolate chip are definitely a different breed. It’s like slurping up toothpaste straight out of the tube. I have never been a mint chocolate chip person, and that will never ever change. The small mint chunks disturb me, and the green color is so unappealing. It combines two of the worst flavors: chocolate and mint. Someone who is a fanatic of both will definitely eat this stuff up, though — I mean someone’s got to.
Overall, I am so ecstatic to have milkshakes on campus available around lunch time. It is one of the desserts I would’ve never thought to add myself but can’t live without now that it’s here. I’m unsure if the shakes are going to stay forever, but I’ll be sure to get one every so often (even if it’s 20 degrees outside). I’d have to say that Caf makes the milkshakes taste high-quality, and the lines are never too long. Sometimes the milkshakes are even available as grab-and-go. The next time you’re at Caf, be sure to try a flavor of your choice or venture out and get something new.