Dairy Queen Milkshake and Shake Prices: Every Flavor and Size
SHAKES. PRICE BY SIZE, NOT JUST MEDIUM
I already had Medium shake prices on this site, but not Small or Large, and that gap is exactly what a chunk of people searching for shake prices actually want to know. Researching this one took longer than I expected, since the shake pricing I found across different sources varied more than almost anything else I’ve priced out on this site. Here’s what actually held up.
Quick note before the numbers: Dairy Queen is almost entirely franchisee-owned, so these are national-average prices. Shake pricing in particular showed unusually wide variance across sources during this research, more than I’d normally expect, so I leaned on the figures that multiple independent sources agreed on rather than any single source’s number.
Shake prices by size
| Flavor | Small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | $3.49 | $3.99 | $4.59 |
| Vanilla | $3.49 | $3.99 | $4.59 |
| Strawberry | $3.49 | $3.99 | $4.59 |
Same pattern I’ve found across almost every other category on this menu: flavor doesn’t change the price, only size does. All three flavors run identically at each size. Malts are typically the same price as the matching shake size, just with malted milk powder blended in.
Which size is actually the best value
| Shake | Calories | Cost per 100 cal |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate Small | 440 | $0.79 |
| Chocolate Medium | 590 | $0.68 |
| Chocolate Large | 790 | $0.58 |
| Vanilla Small | 420 | $0.83 |
| Vanilla Medium | 560 | $0.71 |
| Vanilla Large | 750 | $0.61 |
| Strawberry Small | 425 | $0.82 |
| Strawberry Medium | 570 | $0.70 |
| Strawberry Large | 760 | $0.60 |
Large is the best value at every flavor, and Chocolate is the best value flavor at every size, since it packs the most calories per shake of the three. A Large Chocolate Shake comes out to 58 cents per 100 calories, the single best rate on this whole table.
I checked this against the Blizzard value numbers I already had, since shakes and Blizzards are the two thick, blended treats on this menu and I was curious which actually wins. A Large Blizzard runs about 69 cents per 100 calories. A Large Chocolate Shake beats it, at 58 cents. I didn’t expect that going in, I’d have guessed the Blizzard’s mix-ins made it the better rate, but the shake’s higher calorie density per dollar wins out.
Protein per dollar, if that factors into your choice
| Shake | Protein | Cost per gram of protein |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate Small | 6g | $0.58 |
| Chocolate Medium | 7g | $0.57 |
| Chocolate Large | 10g | $0.46 |
| Vanilla Large | 9g | $0.51 |
| Strawberry Large | 10g | $0.46 |
Same pattern as the calorie value table: Large wins, and Chocolate and Strawberry tie for the best rate at that size. None of these numbers are especially high in absolute terms, a shake is a dessert, not a protein source, but if you’re comparing two similarly priced treats and protein is a tiebreaker, this is where that math lives.
How this stacks up against McDonald’s
I already have verified McDonald’s shake data from an earlier comparison on this site, so I checked it directly against DQ’s numbers instead of leaving it as a separate, disconnected fact. A Medium Chocolate Shake at McDonald’s runs $3.99 for 590 calories, the exact same price and the exact same calorie count as DQ’s Medium Chocolate Shake. Where they diverge is protein: McDonald’s comes in at 13 grams against DQ’s estimated 7. Identical price, identical calories, nearly double the protein at McDonald’s. If protein is genuinely a factor in the decision, that’s a much bigger gap than anything size alone explains on DQ’s own menu.
Why the research on this one was messier than usual
I want to be straightforward about something instead of quietly picking whichever number looked cleanest. A few sources I checked listed shake prices dramatically higher than the range above, in some cases nearly double. One of those same sources also listed Blizzard prices far above what I’ve already verified elsewhere on this site through multiple independent sources, which told me that particular source’s pricing wasn’t reliable across the board, not just for shakes. I used the range where multiple independent sources actually agreed with each other, rather than including a wider range that would have made the numbers look more “thorough” but less trustworthy.
Malts, if you’re deciding between the two
A malt is the same shake with malted milk powder blended in, giving it a slightly tangy, nuttier depth compared to a plain shake. Pricing is typically identical to the matching shake size, so the decision comes down entirely to whether you want that flavor difference, not cost.
What I’d order
- Best value overall: Large Chocolate Shake, at 58 cents per 100 calories, edging out even the Large Blizzard.
- Most protein per dollar: Large Chocolate or Large Strawberry, tied at 46 cents per gram.
- Want more protein specifically: McDonald’s Medium Chocolate Shake, at the identical price and calorie count as DQ’s, but with nearly double the protein.
- Smallest reasonable option: any Small shake, all identically priced at $3.49 regardless of flavor.
- Malt vs. shake: pick based on the flavor difference, not price, since they typically cost the same.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Dairy Queen shake?
Small shakes run about $3.49, Medium about $3.99, and Large about $4.59, the same across Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry. Prices vary by location since DQ is franchisee-owned.
What is the difference between a DQ shake and a malt?
A malt is the same shake recipe with malted milk powder blended in, giving it a slightly tangy, nuttier flavor. Pricing is typically the same as the matching shake size.
Is a shake or a Blizzard a better value at Dairy Queen?
By cost per 100 calories, a Large Chocolate Shake actually beats a Large Blizzard, 58 cents against 69 cents. The Blizzard’s mix-ins add flavor variety, but the shake’s calorie density per dollar is higher at the largest size.
Does McDonald's or Dairy Queen have a better shake?
On price and calories, they’re identical, a Medium Chocolate Shake is $3.99 for 590 calories at both chains. The real difference is protein: McDonald’s comes in at 13 grams against DQ’s estimated 7, nearly double.
See current prices for the full drinks lineup on the full menu page.