Summertime is upon us, and so is soft-serve season.

It's the perfect sweet treat to beat the heat, but there are so many options out there — and not all soft-serve is created equal.

Armed to the cold-sensitive teeth with my lactose pills, I set off to seven major chains to try their vanilla frozen dairy treats. I judged them by their creaminess, texture, and overall taste, giving them a score out of a possible five on each. I also noted the price I paid for each item.

I tried soft-serve desserts at McDonald's, Burger King, Dairy Queen, Wendy's, Chick-fil-A, Shake Shack, and Checkers. Here's how they compared: