Where do milkshakes come from? Who made the first milkshake? How did they become so popular? Circa 1850, the first milkshakes were little more than eggnog drinks with alcohol added generously.
But those could hardly be called milkshakes. The milkshakes that we drink today, with all the delicious ice cream and foam, didn’t come around until the 1920’s.
The story goes like this: seeking a new concoction that would please his customers, a Walgreens soda fountain manager started experimenting with different combinations of ingredients to make the perfect drink. During one of his experiments, he scooped some ice cream into the malted milk blender behind the counter and created the first milkshake.
That was probably an interesting day to be at that Walgreens because he couldn’t have just stopped at the first shake. I would be willing to bet he added just about everything he could find in the store to that blender; he must have tested out several different mixes until he decided which was best.
The milkshake took on a life of its own. Walgreens grew into a massive nationwide chain of stores, each one selling milkshakes; naturally, its popularity grew. Let’s the decade ended, you could find a milkshake anywhere there was a Walgreens.
Competitors saw Walgreens success and decided to imitate it. Soon enough, you didn’t have to look for Walgreens to have a milkshake; you could buy them anywhere.
Today, you will be hard-pressed to find a restaurant that doesn’t offer its own particular kind of milkshake. The classic flavors of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry are common staples, but some stores offer their own unique flavors. There are many different kinds available.
If you love a good shake when it’s hot outside, then you have that Walgreens soda fountain manager to thank for that particular vice. I’ll bet he had no idea what he’d made when he combined those simple ingredients in the blender that day.
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