• I ordered hot-fudge sundaes from Cold Stone Creamery, Dairy Queen, and Carvel.
• I loved the thick hot fudge on the one from Dairy Queen, even though the sundae itself was simple.
• However, the version from Carvel was nearly perfect, and I'd definitely get it again.

Nothing screams warm weather quite like an ice-cream sundae.

And although the classic combination — typically ice cream, hot fudge, and whipped cream — seems pretty basic, I was curious to see which dessert chain does it best.

So, I visited my local Cold Stone Creamery, Dairy Queen, and Carvel locations and ordered a medium hot-fudge sundae at each chain. Here's how it went.

Prices may vary by location.

My first stop was Cold Stone Creamery, an ice-cream chain known for its menu of preset Signature Creations. However, diners can also create their own concoctions with a selection of ice-cream flavors and topping mix-ins.

Since I didn't see a hot-fudge sundae specifically listed on the menu, I decide to make my own. I asked for a "love it" — which is what the brand calls its medium cup — of vanilla ice cream with hot fudge and whipped cream.

The sundae from Cold Stone Creamery cost $9.68 and left me a little disappointed.

The ice cream itself was pretty good, but when I think of a hot-fudge sundae, I usually imagine a healthy serving of thick, warm chocolate sauce. However, the version from Cold Stone only had a slight drizzle of room-temperature fudge on top.

Next time I return to Cold Stone, though, I'll probably stick to one of the tried-and-true Signature Creations.

Like Cold Stone Creamery, Dairy Queen has a signature menu item: the Blizzard. These blended creations are made with soft-serve ice cream and a variety of customizable mix-ins. The chain also offers classic soft-serve options and sundaes.

In sticking to my original mission, I ordered the medium hot-fudge sundae, which included just ice cream and fudge.

Although Dairy Queen's hot-fudge sundae didn't come with whipped cream or a cherry, I was impressed by the copious amount of delicious fudge. It was thick, hot, and chocolatey.

The vanilla soft-serve was good too, and had a delightfully airy texture.

At $6.79, this was the cheapest — and simplest — of the three ice-cream treats I tried.

Finally, I went to Carvel, a chain known for its ice-cream cakes, soft and hard ice-cream options, and blended treats.

When I ordered a hot-fudge sundae here, I finally heard the golden words I'd been hoping for — "Would you like whipped cream and a cherry?" Yes. Yes I did.

The $8.52 sundae from Carvel delivered everything I was looking for — vanilla ice cream, hot fudge that was actually hot, whipped cream, and a cherry on top.

The ice cream had a rich, creamy, and almost nostalgic flavor to it. The fudge was good, too, but I definitely preferred the thicker version from Dairy Queen.

Overall, though, this was a really solid hot-fudge sundae — and the clear winner out of the three options I tried.