In the Midwest, diners line up outside frozen custard joints. This may seem strange to East Coast gourmets, who are used to thinking of hot-ticket eats in terms of, say, Emeril’s, not Dairy Queen.

Fruity pebbles and custard milkshake, cookie butter and Nutella custard milkshake, and cupcakes at Royale with Cheese in Midtown. Wild Erma with a cake batter shell at Erma’s in Madison Heights.