The Crowd Favorite Item Tim Walz Ordered From Cook Out

Minnesota Governor and 2024 Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz has built a reputation as a bit of a foodie, or maybe just someone who enjoys food of varying qualities. After all, he's not always eating the most refined foods — he's declared his love for diet Mountain Dew, corn dogs, and Minneapolis' signature cheese-filled burger,the Juicy Lucy. He's even won the Minnesota Congressional Delegation Hotdish Off multiple years for his truly Midwestern tater tot casserole. This love of deliciously decadent foods definitely gives him points for relatability, while his universal free lunch program for Minnesota kids poises him as an executive who believes everyone (especially children) has the right to eat regardless of income. 

At the end of August 2024, the display of Governor Walz's gastronomic delights continued as he was shown on his YouTube channel ordering a mint chocolate chip shake at Cook Out in North Carolina. Led by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, this was Walz's first trip to the southern fast food chain. When asked what he thought of the shake, he replied, "It's really good." Maybe not the most glowing review, but he did appear to enjoy it, at least. ("Oh, my god," he said in delight as he continued eating.)

If, like Tim Walz, you don't reside in the southeastern United States, you might not have visited or even heard of Cook Out, despite the company being a NASCAR sponsor. However, this is no small chain — they have over 350 locations across 10 states, including around 130 in North Carolina alone. North Carolina also happens to be where the first Cook Out was established in 1989 in Greensboro. It wasn't until 2010 that the chain opened locations outside of the Tar Heel State, beginning with South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Cook Out is best known for its freshly made burgers, barbecue, and milkshakes, of which they offer over 40 flavors, including six different kinds of banana shakes, multiple types of cheesecake, a seasonal watermelon shake for summer, and an eggnog shake for December.

Apparently, Walz might have missed out by not ordering the watermelon flavor since it is only available two months out of the year (July and August) and is a cult favorite. One Redditor even suggested adding chocolate chips to the fruity drink, a move that the Minnesota Governor might approve of given his appreciation for food pairings, like cinnamon rolls with chili (per Racket Minnesota).

If you want to make a Cook Out-style frozen dessert drink at home, you'll want to upgrade the ice cream you use for thick and creamy milkshakes. You can also switch things up by making a boozy milkshake or a New England milkshake which is more akin to frothy chocolate milk than an actual shake.