The Marlton Diner “shakes up” the competition
January 28, 2018
The Marlton Diner is shaking things up in South Jersey with its gigantic, over-the-top, candy-embellished milkshakes.
Located on Route 70 West in Marlton, the Marlton Diner is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The menu is largely comprised of typical diner fare, but the newest items that caught my eye on a few recent visits were the milkshakes–distinctly large, sugary and resembling the designer shakes offered at Black Tap in New York City. Willy Wonka would likely admire these edible works of art, but might be shocked to learn of the jaw-dropping price ($13.95) of these cash cows.
The sweet and savory Sugar Daddy Milkshake.
The delicious Carnival Milkshake.
The ambience at the Marlton Diner is part pop-art and part garish. The booths are covered in bright lime green vinyl, and Keith Haring artwork adorns the tables. Graffiti-like writing on the walls competes for attention with photos of Charlie Chaplin and Albert Einstein. The look is busy and not particularly appetizing, but what it lacks in subtlety, it makes up for in fun. This place is a favorite for East students to grab a snack on the weekends or after a school dance.
This was not my first visit to the Marlton Diner for a milkshake. Last August, a trip to the diner for shakes ended in disappointment. A malfunctioning machine produced a Chocolate Chip Cookie shake that was no treat at all–a plain vanilla milkshake with toppings on the side. Although tasty, that cookie shake with a huge price tag was a crumble.
A hearty sweet tooth lured me back to the Marlton Diner for another chance at sampling a party shake. On a recent Friday night, my family and I received a warm welcome from both the hostess and our bubbly waitress. The milkshakes are so popular that they have their very own pink menu. There are six candy-laden mega milkshakes to choose from: Sugar Daddy, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Carnival, Mint Coco Loco, Celebration and Pucker Up. It was a tough decision!
Our server also informed us that the shakes might not be a good option for people with peanut allergies because the ganache topping could come into contact with peanut ingredients. She suggested a decadent alternative to avoid peanuts, waffles with ice cream. The waffles were a hit and big enough to share.
Loading ...Our server also informed us that the shakes might not be a good option for people with peanut allergies because the ganache topping could come into contact with peanut ingredients. She suggested a decadent alternative to avoid peanuts, waffles with ice cream. The waffles were a hit and big enough to share.
At last, we decided on the Sugar Daddy and the Carnival milkshakes. Our waitress informed us that the shakes are made to order and would take about 15 minutes. When the shakes arrived, I could tell they had been sitting for a few minutes. Ice cream was dripping down the side and the toppings were slightly askew, but the shakes were still impressive. My Carnival milkshake was different than described on the menu. It was missing the colorful chocolate pearls and included random candy toppings. Although the diner substituted toppings, the changes worked for the kitsch milkshake. While not aesthetically perfect, they were still quite enjoyable.
The milkshakes fall into the “eyes are bigger than the stomach” category, but these desserts are pure happiness, and they look great in photos, too. If you have a sweet tooth and some excess cash and are looking for a fun evening out, I would recommend visiting the Marlton Diner for a shake to remember!