Will a top 5 US fast-food chain launch a non-dairy milkshake nationally by end of 2027?

Resolution criteria This market will resolve to YES if any of the top US fast-food chains launch a non-dairy milkshake nationally on or before December 31, 2027, at 11:59 PM PT. Otherwise, this market will resolve to NO. Eligible Chains: For clarity and to avoid debates over shifting industry rankings or whether coffee shops qualify, a "top US fast-food chain" is defined as any of the top 5 quick-service restaurant chains by U.S. systemwide sales: McDonald’s, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, or Wendy's. "Launch nationally": The chain must add the item to its permanent or limited-time promotional menu at a supermajority (at least 80%) of its corporate and franchised locations across the United States. Regional tests, single-market pilots, or items exclusive to spinoff concepts (e.g., CosMc's) do not qualify. "Non-dairy milkshake": Defined as a blended beverage sold and marketed explicitly as a "milkshake," "shake," or "Frosty" (or direct equivalent blended frozen dessert beverage, such as a McCafé Shake or Chick-fil-A Shake) that is officially advertised as dairy-free, vegan, or made with a plant-based milk alternative (e.g., oat, almond, soy, coconut, or cashew). It must not contain dairy milk or dairy cream as its primary base. Source of truth: Official corporate press releases, official online menus, or reputable food industry news sources (such as QSR Magazine, Nation's Restaurant News, or Restaurant Business) confirming the national availability. Background While plant-based milks have become standard options for coffee and espresso beverages at major chains like Starbucks, the milkshake segment at the largest US fast-food chains remains almost exclusively dairy-based. Heavyweights like McDonald's and Chick-fil-A still use traditional dairy soft-serve bases for all of their milkshakes, citing operational challenges like equipment cleaning, cross-contamination, and high throughput volume as barriers to implementing a non-dairy alternative. Though mid-size and smaller chains (such as Smashburger, Fatburger, and Johnny Rockets) have successfully introduced nationwide or regional vegan milkshakes utilizing cashew, oat, or coconut-based ice creams, a top-tier chain has yet to make a similar product nationally available. This description was generated by AI. Review and verify everything here yourself. You can edit, replace, or delete any part of this description, including the resolution criteria. You do not need to trust the AI output.