Adventures in Self-Serve Fro Yo

Frozen Yogurt has always been one of my fave snacks, so the idea of being able to customize it is seriously the cherry on top! Self-serve Fro Yo is all the rage lately so I decided to check it out….several times.

I’ve tried both Yogurty’s and Menchie’s, their concepts are basically the same, with slight variations in flavours and toppings etc. Also, Yogurty’s is a Canadian chain while Menchie’s is American, but both have been putting up new stores all over the GTA lately.

Now, to the nitty gritty, what to expect from self-serve Fro Yo. The main concept is that you choose your flavour, add your toppings and weigh your creation so it’s priced based on everything you added. Think salad bar, but with a lot more excitement and whole lot more calories.

I’m not going to deny my initial euphoria when walking into Menchie’s: “kid in a candy store” is the only way I can explain it. The first thing I see is a wall of sweets and my dream buffet table with exclusively high sugar items. But of course, I was jumping the gun. The yogurt is actually along the back walk, with over 15 options!

With flavours like Red Velvet Cake, Chocolate Covered Banana, Peanut Butter, and Cookie Dough, to the classic Vanilla and Chocolate, there are enough options to satisfy anyone’s taste buds. But choosing a flavour is just step one. Next, make your way to the dry toppings bar to choose from over 20 cookie, nut and chocolate toppings. Then, it’s on to the wet/cold toppings like fresh fruit or tapioca. And of course, frozen yogurt offers a low cal alternative to ice cream, so pack on the toppings…why not? I went with a blend of Red Velvet and Cookie Dough, with graham crackers, oreo crumbs, fresh cookie dough, brownie chunks and chocolate sauce. The price is based on weight, and mine came out to about $5 – The way I see it, you’re paying for the experience and the treat – It’s actually quite fun!

Does this mean the original frozen yogurt options like Yogen Fruz and TCBY just don’t make the cut anymore?

Both Yogurty’s and Menchie’s are putting up new locations all over the city so there’s bound to be one near you!