"Once a thriving restaurant chain that leaned on the nostalgic aesthetic of old-school ice cream parlors, Friendly's beat bankruptcy (more than once) and continues to bring ice cream treats to people across America. Although Friendly's restaurants are limited to a handful of states, its ice cream is available in many other states. With an impressive selection of 42 flavors, not including limited-edition varieties, you're bound to find one you'll love. But where to start is the question. A selection this extensive can leave you with decision paralysis."
"From classics like Neapolitan and mint chocolate chip to more innovative flavors like royal banana split and carnival cotton candy, I looked at two key factors: overall flavor and mix-ins. The top-ranked flavors weren't too sweet nor underwhelming, and had the perfect ratio of mix-ins."
"Friendly's royal banana split was the flavor I was most intrigued by. A traditional banana split is made with a whole banana, a scoop each of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream, and whipped cream, cherries, and chopped nuts. Friendly's takes this concept and packages it into a standalone ice cream flavor that, in my opinion, misses the mark. While it does contain both strawberry and chocolate ice cream, Friendly's replaces the vanilla with a banana-flavored ice cream that unfortunately overwhelms the other flavors with its saccharine banana notes."
Friendly's began as a nostalgic restaurant chain and now distributes ice cream widely while restaurants remain in a few states. The brand offers 42 regular flavors plus limited editions, creating many choices for consumers. A comparative tasting of 14 flavors evaluated overall flavor and mix-in quality. Top-ranked flavors achieved balanced sweetness and an ideal mix-in ratio without being underwhelming. Examples range from classics such as Neapolitan and mint chocolate chip to inventive options like royal banana split and carnival cotton candy. Royal banana split features banana-flavored ice cream, strawberry, chocolate, pineapple pieces, walnuts, and fudge but the banana note is overly saccharine for many palates.
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