Has Braum’s Lost Its Flavor? Oklahomans Think So

If you grew up in Oklahoma, odds are Braum’s was part of your childhood. Maybe you got a kid’s cone after t-ball, or maybe your family grabbed a sack of burgers on the way home from church. Braum’s has always been one of those “just Oklahoma things."

It's our version of Dairy Queen, only with thicker shakes, bigger cones, and burgers that were out of this world...

Keyword: Were

If you scroll through social media on a Braum's deep dive, you’ll see a vastly different story. People are starting to wonder if Braum’s has lost their magic.

No doubts about it, the ice cream is still the star of the restaurant. That old-fashioned dipped cone can fix just about any bad day. But when it comes to the food, well, the reviews aren’t as flattering as they used to be.

The burgers used to be juicy and well-seasoned. Now they seem like an afterthought offering to grocery-getters. More filler than flavor. Their fries can be hit or miss, too. Sometimes crispy, sometimes soggy, but that's sort of how they've always been, right?

@empty.high.five.hand If you can’t tell Brahms is not my favorite restaurant. I would rather cook at home when I’m tired and sick with the flu, Covid pneumonia and hepatitis C then go to Braums. #braums #whataburger #schoolfortheblind #mintchocolatechip #icecream ♬ Dramatic Tension - Litne

First off, as a response, I think most people like Braum's the way it is. It's the rural restaurant you can find in the biggest Oklahoma cities. It's a hometown joint, and always has been. I don't think Braum's should go messing with trying to modernize themselves into being just another same/same looking, character-less chain restaurant.

The big polar shift Oklahoma's ice cream and dairy store made a while back, switching to smaller portions long before inflation was a standard headline in the news, seems to be the moment when Okies soured on our beloved Braum's... but that's not all.

When the Grocery Aisle Took Over

The biggest complaint? The company seems to have shifted its focus. Instead of doubling down on what made it special - amazing burgers, fries, and ice cream - they’ve leaned hard into the grocery side of things. Walk into any Braum’s these days, and half the store looks like a mini supermarket. Milk, bread, eggs, frozen meals, even produce. It’s convenient, the products are of high quality, but the tradeoff seems obvious: the fast-food side doesn’t get the attention it once did.

That’s not to say the grocery section is bad. At least I don't think so, and a lot of people agree that it’s the most affordable place to grab a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread on the way home. And in smaller towns where Walmart is a 30-minute drive, Braum’s grocery section is a lifesaver. But, has the convenience come at the cost of Oklahoma's once-best burger, fries, and shakes? To clear this up, Braum’s isn’t dying off. It’s still a beloved Oklahoma staple, but not everyone quite agrees on the food anymore. It's just not the Braum’s we grew up with. You can tell by the way people talk about it. When someone mentions Braum’s today, the conversation usually drifts toward the grocery side.

“Best milk in the state.” “Better quality eggs.” “Their ice cream’s still good, but…”

And that “but” is what hangs so heavy. When you hear people talk about Braum's 1/4lbs burgers these days, the descriptions are not generally flattering. You may have a burger from time to time that really hits the spot, I know I do on occasion, but most people use words like "dry" and "chewy." Those are words nobody ever spoke of Braum's when the burgers were still 1/3lbs. Some internet meme personality/influencer someone or other just visited the Sooner State, and he was excited to try our beloved Braum's. After his absolute praising 10/10 for a standard Whataburger when he was in Dallas, the bar was set pretty high for Braum's... only you don't see the look of a satisfied customer on his face. You see someone who is really trying not to deliver bad news.

@betaclipstv iShowSpeed tries Braums for the first time Ever 😳🍔 #ishowspeed #fyp #viral #foryou #braums ♬ AURA - Ogryzek

Rated M for Meh...

It makes you wonder, what if Braum’s put the same energy into their burgers that they put into stocking frozen peas? Could they reclaim that title as Oklahoma’s undisputed best burger-and-ice-cream joint? Or have they settled into being something else entirely—a hybrid grocery store that just happens to also sell burgers on the side?

At the end of the day, Oklahomans are loyal. We’ll keep swinging through for a cone or a gallon of that famous A2 milk because that’s what we do. But we can't help but think how good it used to be.