Stick with the unique frozen custard and burgers at Freddy’s

Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers in Kathleen is the only franchise of its kind in the Middle Georgia area, but it’s so similar to Steak ‘n Shake that we’re going to start with a comparison of the two.

Unlike Steak ‘n Shake, guests go straight to the counter to order at Freddy’s. A friendly local at the register took our order and made recommendations from the menu. The retro red and white decor is very similar to Steak ‘n Shake, meant to harken back to the 1950s when the chain first began.

Once our order was ready, our number was called over a loudspeaker, even though only one other table was occupied and they already had their food.

The hamburger is definitely different than any other I’ve seen — smashed flat to cook quickly, thin to the point of having crispy edges. The usual order has two patties, sandwiching a piece of American cheese if you choose, but it’s possible to order a single or a triple.

The shoestring fries are just like Steak ‘n Shake’s, and their shakes are in similar flavors but have a greater density. In fact, their most popular dessert is the “concrete,” a shake so thick it requires a special straw and most people use a spoon for it. They also have a sundae version, with the toppings on top instead of mixed through like the concrete.

We tried a mini and a regular version of the dirt and worms concrete, with crumbled Oreos and gummy worms mixed into the frozen custard. I liked the chocolate brownie delight but a mini was all I could handle. The turtle sundae had very salty pecans on top, and the Hawaiian, with pineapple, coconut, strawberry and macadamia nuts, would be fantastic in summer.

Other items like the chicken fingers, veggie burger, hot dogs, onions rings, and chili were fine but nothing to write about. Stick with the namesake frozen custard and burgers if you’re hungry and you just want to be bad.

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This story was originally published December 15, 2016 at 7:10 AM with the headline "Stick with the unique frozen custard and burgers at Freddy’s."