FROZEN TREAT GUIDE
Frappe vs. Milkshake in New England: What Is the Difference?
Learn how frappe and milkshake are commonly used in New England, why the terms vary by region, and how to order the frozen drink you want.
In much of the United States, a milkshake means a cold drink blended with ice cream and milk. In parts of New England, especially Massachusetts, that same combination has traditionally been called a frappe. A milkshake, in the older regional sense, may simply mean flavored milk mixed until frothy, without ice cream.
That sounds like a clear rule, but everyday language is rarely so tidy. Many New England shops now use “milkshake” the way customers elsewhere do, some preserve the frappe distinction, and others use both words for essentially the same drink. The safest approach is to treat the menu description—not the name alone—as the final word.
Frappe vs. milkshake at a glance
The traditional New England distinction comes down to whether ice cream is included. Under that vocabulary, a frappe is a thick blended drink containing ice cream, milk, and flavoring. A milkshake is milk blended or shaken with flavored syrup, producing a lighter, foamy drink.
- Traditional New England frappe: commonly made with ice cream, milk, and a chosen flavor.
- Traditional New England milkshake: commonly flavored milk without ice cream.
- Common modern American milkshake: usually an ice-cream-based blended drink.
- What a particular shop serves: depends on its own menu language and recipe.
This is a guide to regional terminology, not a universal recipe standard. Ingredient proportions, thickness, toppings, and pronunciation vary.
What does “frappe” mean in New England?
On a traditional Massachusetts ice cream menu, “frappe” generally signals the thick drink many Americans would call a milkshake. Ice cream supplies body and richness, milk helps the mixture blend, and syrup or another flavoring defines the taste. The result is usually sipped through a straw, though its precise thickness depends on the recipe.
The New England word is often pronounced as a single syllable that rhymes with “cap.” It should not automatically be confused with every other drink spelled the same way. In other contexts, frappé can describe a chilled or iced beverage, and modern coffee-shop drinks have made the term familiar in entirely different forms. The menu category and ingredient description provide the necessary context.
Even within New England, “frappe” is not equally common everywhere. It is strongly associated with Massachusetts vocabulary, but speakers, families, and businesses do not all draw the boundary in exactly the same place. Someone raised with the regional usage may hear an important difference between a frappe and a milkshake, while another customer may consider the terms interchangeable.
What does “milkshake” mean?
For most customers today, a milkshake is a blended ice-cream drink. That nationwide meaning is so widespread that many New England businesses use it too. If a menu promises a thick or handmade milkshake, the word usually points toward the familiar ice-cream-based beverage—but the listed ingredients remain more reliable than an assumption.
The older regional meaning is different. A New England milkshake could be milk and flavored syrup agitated until cold and foamy, with no ice cream. It would therefore be thinner and lighter than a frappe. The “shake” in the name describes the mixing action rather than guaranteeing ice cream.
Neither usage is linguistically wrong. Food names evolve as people travel, national brands influence expectations, and local shops choose wording that suits their customers. The apparent disagreement is really a collision between a regional definition and a broader modern one.
Why the terminology causes confusion
Regional words overlap with national words
A visitor can order a milkshake expecting ice cream because that is what the name means at home. A lifelong New Englander may use “frappe” for the same drink and reserve “milkshake” for flavored milk. Both arrive with reasonable expectations formed by local experience.
Menu language changes over time
Businesses write menus for the customers they serve. A shop may keep a traditional term, adopt the nationally familiar one, or place both together—such as “frappes and milkshakes”—to help everyone navigate.
Names do not specify proportions
Knowing that a drink contains ice cream does not tell you exactly how thick it will be. More milk generally makes blending and sipping easier; more ice cream can create a denser texture. The type and amount of flavoring matter as well. Two drinks called frappes can therefore feel quite different even when both follow the regional definition.
Specialty presentations add another layer
A drink finished with sauces, whipped topping, cookies, candy, or other garnishes may be described as loaded, crazy, over-the-top, or simply as a specialty milkshake. Those words concern presentation and toppings, not the underlying regional frappe-versus-milkshake distinction.
How to order the drink you actually want
You do not need to master a vocabulary map before visiting a New England ice cream shop. A short description of the drink you want prevents most misunderstandings.
- Check the category description. Look for a mention of ice cream, milk, blending, thickness, or toppings.
- Ask whether it contains ice cream. This single question resolves the traditional distinction directly.
- Describe your preferred texture. Say whether you want a thick ice-cream drink or a lighter flavored-milk drink.
- Ask about current flavors and sizes. These are business-specific and can change.
- Confirm ingredients when necessary. The name alone does not establish allergens, dietary suitability, or cross-contact practices.
If the menu uses “milkshake” for its ice-cream-based drinks, it is usually best to use the shop’s own language when ordering. If it uses “frappe,” ordering a frappe avoids the possibility that “milkshake” has the older local meaning. Pointing to the menu item is perfectly sensible when words overlap.
Is a frappe the same as a coffee-shop frappé?
Not necessarily. Shared spelling does not guarantee a shared recipe. In New England ice cream vocabulary, a frappe commonly refers to an ice-cream-based drink and does not inherently contain coffee. In coffee culture, a similarly named drink may be built around coffee and ice, sometimes with milk, sweeteners, syrups, or blended components.
Likewise, a branded blended coffee drink should not be used as the definition of a New England frappe. Context separates them: an ice cream counter and a coffee menu may use the word for different beverage traditions. Ask what is in the drink instead of inferring caffeine, ice cream, or a particular preparation from the name.
How toppings fit into the comparison
Whipped topping, sauces, cookies, fruit, candy, and decorated rims can make a shake visually elaborate, but they do not determine whether local speakers call the base drink a frappe or a milkshake. The historical distinction is about ice cream in the blended drink. Garnishes sit on top of that basic question.
A simple frappe can arrive without a towering finish, while a menu item labeled milkshake can carry many garnishes. Loaded or over-the-top presentation is a separate style, not a regional vocabulary rule.
What the terms mean at Ice 'N' Roll
Ice 'N' Roll publicly describes its frozen drinks as handmade milkshakes, using the widely recognized term on its commercial page. That wording does not establish a permanent recipe, flavor list, topping selection, or current availability. Visit the Ice 'N' Roll milkshakes page for the shop-specific overview and confirm current details directly before ordering.
The business’s New England setting helps explain why customers may encounter both words in local conversation, but it does not require the shop to use the older regional distinction. You can learn more about that context on the about Ice 'N' Roll page.
Frequently asked questions
Does a New England frappe have ice cream?
Traditionally, yes. In the regional usage most associated with Massachusetts, a frappe is a blended drink containing ice cream and milk. Recipes and business terminology vary, so check the menu or ask.
Does a New England milkshake have ice cream?
Under the older local distinction, it may not: “milkshake” can mean flavored milk mixed until foamy. Many modern New England shops, however, use milkshake for an ice-cream-based drink, matching the broader American meaning.
How do you pronounce frappe in New England?
The regional ice cream term is commonly pronounced as one syllable, rhyming with “cap.” Pronunciation can vary among speakers, and accent marks are not always shown on menus.
Is a frappe always thicker than a milkshake?
It is thicker when “milkshake” carries the traditional flavored-milk meaning. If a business uses both words for ice-cream drinks, thickness depends on its recipe rather than the label.
Does a frappe contain coffee?
Not by definition in New England ice cream terminology. Coffee can be a flavor, but a frappe may use many other flavors. Coffee-shop beverages bearing a similar name belong to a different menu context.
What should I say if I want an ice-cream-based drink?
Use the term printed on the shop’s menu and, if there is any doubt, ask for the thick blended drink made with ice cream. That description is clearer than relying on regional vocabulary alone.
Are frappe and milkshake ingredients standardized?
No. The names do not guarantee a particular base, flavoring, topping, allergen profile, or preparation method. Ask the business for current ingredient and cross-contact information.
The menu is the best translator
The classic New England answer is simple: a frappe contains ice cream, while a milkshake may be flavored milk. The practical modern answer has an extra sentence: many shops now call an ice-cream-based drink a milkshake, just as businesses do across the country. Read the description, ask whether ice cream is included, and use the shop’s terminology. You will spend less time debating names and more time enjoying the drink you intended to order.