I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Ice cream is the best food ever.
There’s just something about that combination of sweet and creamy that is just amazing.
According to the US Census, the average American eats about four gallons of ice cream per year. (I’m WAY over that, so I guess I’m bringing the average up.)
And, not shockingly, with that kind of demand, there are all kinds of new ice cream shops popping up everywhere.
But of course, that begs the question…
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We all love ice cream…
But which ice cream do we love most?
Well, fortunately the good people over at YouGov crunched the data for Q4 of 2024 ranking how well-known and well-liked all of the big ice cream brands are…
And surprisingly enough, Ben & Jerry’s and Baskin-Robbins didn’t win! (Nor did Cold Stone – heck it wasn’t even top three!)
So I put together the full ranking of the nine top chains based on the percentage of people who had a positive view of it.
Did one of your favorites make it onto the list?
We’ll start at the bottom, with #9:
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 51%
Percent of Americans with a positive opinion of it: 32%
My take: It’s the best banana split I’ve ever had. (And the strawberry shortcake sundae is just as good.) Their ice cream is just “fine” but their sundaes are absolutely amazing.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 48%
Percent of Americans with a positive opinion of it: 34%
My take: Fosters is shockingly well known for only being in California, and as you can see – almost 3/4 of the people who have heard of it love it. There’s good reason for that – their sundaes, parfaits, and milkshakes are the stuff of legend. Get the caramel marble fudge parfait, and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 61%
Percent of Americans with a positive opinion of it: 40%
My take: Freddy’s frozen custard is excellent. Get the Oreo double trouble and have a great rest of your day.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 67%
Percent of Americans with a positive opinion of it: 47%
My take: I’d be curious how much of this is tied to the Carvel ice cream cakes, which I think we all enjoyed for many childhood birthdays. Otherwise, Carvel ice cream is perfectly fine but nothing to write home about…in my opinion.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: %
Percent of Americans with a positive opinion of it: %
My take: I’ve gotta think a lot of this is nostalgia. Friendly’s used to be everywhere, and I think we all have fond memories of getting a Friendly’s sundae as kids. (Not to criticize the ice cream! Their chocolate marshmallow swirl is great.)
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 88%
Percent of Americans with a positive opinion of it: 62%
My take: Cold Stone’s ice cream creations with all the mix-ins are honestly some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had. Get the apple pie a la Cold Stone, or the banana caramel crunch, and you’ll be in heaven.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 97%
Percent of Americans with a positive opinion of it: 67%
My take: Why is Ben & Jerry’s only third? It’s easily the best of the bunch in my opinion. The combination of delicious ice cream flavors and mix-ins is just amazing. (Get the Tonight Dough. Trust me.)
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 97%
Percent of Americans with a positive opinion of it: 70%
My take: Baskin-Robbins is everywhere, and it’s got an awesome set of delicious flavors. (Now more than 31, including plenty of dairy-free options!) Oh, also the hot fudge.
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Percent of Americans who have heard of it: 95%
Percent of Americans with a positive opinion of it: 74%
My take: It’s hard to argue with the versatility and featured mix-ins of a Dairy Queen blizzard. They’re delicious, they’re cheap, and – not surprisingly – they’re popular! Get the turtle pecan cluster Blizzard if you want a delicious option.
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So there you have it – America’s top nine ice cream chains, according to YouGov.
Personally, I was surprised that Fosters ranked so high given that it’s literally only available in one state!
But here’s the big question…
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What do YOU think?
Is DQ the best?
Is it someone else?
Who’s been unfairly left off the list?
Let us know in the comments!
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