Unsolicited Endorsement: Zack’s Frozen Yogurt

by Eric Ginsburg

Where else can you buy frozen yogurt at a drive-thru window?

We’re not going to count fast-food restaurants, though those who know me well can attest to my reverence for Cook Out, but I can’t think of anywhere besides Zack’s Frozen Yogurt to purchase any type of dessert that rapidly.

In a way, drive-thru frozen yogurt seems counterintuitive. Part of the point of skipping ice cream is to be healthier, so isn’t it worth the mild inconvenience to park and walk inside, burning a few calories in the process?

But that’s not always how it goes. Especially after the weather gets cold.

I pass directly by Zack’s Frozen Yogurt, at 305 Jonestown Road near I-40 and Hanes Mall Boulevard in Winston-Salem, every Wednesday as I deliver papers. I had never heard of the place before, though the business is a few months older than I am. The lettering on the sign initially confused me, recalling a font often used by Mediterranean restaurants, but Zack’s is just a straight-up froyo joint.

I’m totally over the self-serve froyo craze — despite my gratuitous, excessive sampling habits I still always spend more money than I intended and always feel compelled to add unnecessary toppings that detract from the focal point. It’s like going out to eat and overloading on sides (a move I only recommend at Boston Market and K&W).

Zack’s frozen yogurt doesn’t need to hide behind a bunch of accoutrements. Instead the flavors speak for themselves. Like the rich strawberry cheesecake, two flavors swirled together in harmony, or the pumpkin.

I tried several other options, too — scientific research and quality control at its finest — and wasn’t disappointed, though reading the list of daily special flavors on Zack’s Facebook page still made me feel like I missed out: pistachio, Snickers bar, white chocolate fudge, butterscotch, cake batter, caramel pretzel…

Summer may be taking its last gasps of breath before withering into the background, but winter is still far enough away that a frozen treat sounds enticing. And even if it were too cold to step out of a heated car, there’s a drive-thru.