Culver's Disappointed Fans By Discontinuing This Beloved Frozen Treat Flavor

Just as there are many fast food burgers that have been discontinued over the years and devastated consumers in the process, one could argue that losing your favorite sweet treat is even more upsetting. Culver's fans had to go through this very loss with the discontinuation of the Orange Creamsicle Frozen Custard. It was one of the Flavor of the Day custard cups sold at Culver's as well as one of the ready-to-eat pints of custard the restaurant sells to-go. After being a staple at the restaurant chain for several years, the custard flavor was reportedly discontinued in 2018 alongside several other menu items as part of a larger overhaul.

As for why the menu overhaul happened in the first place, some self-proclaimed Culver's workers on Reddit attributed it to health reasons. " ... We stopped using Weber flavors for flavor base concentrates," one Redditor noted in a thread discussing the discontinued dessert. "They supplied the Raspberry, Strawberry, Coconut, Orange, Butter Pecan, and a few others. Culver's was looking for more natural flavorings (less food colorings, etc.) and this was one of them." 

Eight years after its discontinuation, the custard still has many fans hoping it will return someday. "Omg I LIVED for this flavor a few years ago," one Reddit user admitted. "Think of those orange push popsicles but creamier." Another shared a similar sentiment, stating, " ... Culver's, bring back the Orange Creamsicle [Flavor of the Day], you cowards."

If you're looking to get your fix of Orange Creamsicle custard, there are a few ways to emulate the dessert fairly well. Undoubtedly the easiest is to get a Fanta Orange Float at Culver's, which combines orange soda with vanilla custard. This strategy is easy in theory, and in practice, as while restaurant chains like Wendy's require you to add your frosty to your soda yourself to make a float, the Fanta Orange Float is an official item on Culver's menu for under $6.

Alternatively, if you know how to make ice cream or custard at home, making Orange Creamsicle frozen custard is a pretty easy step up from a classic recipe you've likely used in the past. While frozen custard differs from ice cream in that it contains egg yolk, adding some orange zest and orange juice concentrate to a custard or ice cream base before churning is a simple and effective way to enjoy a homemade version of the dessert.