Milkshakes are kind of like pizza – even when they’re not very good, you’re still drinking a milkshake.

Fortunately for Manteca-Lathrop residents that adage doesn’t really apply thanks to local businesses like Chubby’s and the Ghirardelli Chocolate outlet in Lathrop who prepare some of the tastiest frozen treats around.

Here’s a brief breakdown of the best places in Manteca and Lathrop to get an out-of-this-world dairy treat:

Chubby’s: There’s just something a milkshake from an old-school diner, and Chubby’s is most definitely that. It is the kind of place where you can enjoy a whopping milkshake – with the leftovers still in the tin – along with amazing 50s era music and a fun and friendly wait staff. Yes, these are your father’s milkshakes, and for once that is actually a good thing. While many restaurants will whip up quick and easy concoctions and try and pass them off as milkshakes, Chubby’s offers the real deal – real ice cream topped off with whipped cream. 737 N. Main Street.

Foster’s Freeze: Until a few years ago this Manteca staple still had the original sign advertising that they were open – a welcome illumination for anybody searching for the kind of food that only an old-fashioned frosty could produce. And on a hot summer day, grabbing one of their wares – like a chocolate and banana milkshake made with real bananas – is the ultimate salvo from the heat. The flavor is plentiful and the options are deep, so if you haven’t tried a Foster’s Freeze milkshake I suggest you do so right now. 906 W. Yosemite Avenue.

Ghirardelli Outlet: Now this isn’t necessarily a fair fight since this company has some of the best chocolate in the world at their disposal – creating waits as long as an hour at the multiple counters in the San Francisco square that bears its name. But it’s what they do with all of that chocolate goodness that makes for an amazing experience. Whether you’re looking for a dynamite chocolate sundae or a milkshake that will knock your socks off, this Lathrop haunt is the place you want to go. It is important to tourists to make sure that they hit Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco before they head home across the pond. Now we have one right in our backyard. Being spoiled has never been so good. 11980 Harlan Road, Lathrop.