Want Free Ice Cream? Get The Scoop On Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day 2016

Tuesday is Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day, meaning customers worldwide will be able to get free ice cream while also helping the local community and environment.

Free Cone Day began back on May 5, 1979 to celebrate the first anniversary of the original ice cream shop opened by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont.

Ben & Jerry came up with the idea to thank their loyal customers for keeping their small business afloat for a year, and what better way than to declare that for one whole day, the scoops were on them. For 37 years, the popular ice cream outlets have been giving away free ice cream, and this year is no exception.

Free Cone Day is here! Join us from 12-8pm to grab a free cone! Head to https://t.co/OTaiiZHK8S for details. #FCDSG pic.twitter.com/QsXf2xSJ7M

— Ben & Jerry’s SG (@BenandjerrySG) April 12, 2016

Reportedly the now-major worldwide company expects to serve more than 1 million free scoops worldwide on Tuesday, April 12 between noon and 8 p.m. local time. Naturally, ice cream lovers can expect a queue, but the wait is worth it for that free scoop of the delicious icy treat.

As reported by Food & Beverage, while many companies have some standard fine print when handing out freebies – stating that customers can only take one – Ben & Jerry’s is far more generous, and the ice cream outlets will happily hand a second free scoop to customers throughout the day on Tuesday.

In fact, in a post on the Ben & Jerry’s official website describing the seven types of people you are likely to meet on Free Cone Day, one of the ice cream company’s favorite type of customers is “The Repeat Conestumer,” stating, “Never satisfied, they get their free scoop and then immediately get back in line for another… over and over again.”

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Ben & Jerry’s, giving back to the community and the environment

Many Ben & Jerry’s outlets do a little more than just give away free scoops of ice cream on Free Cone Day. As reported by the Dallas News, one particular store in the greater Dallas area is giving loyal customers the chance to help fight breast cancer.

Hunter Rose, owner of the Plano stores said, “We love getting involved with and giving back to our communities” but stressed that customers shouldn’t feel pressured to donate when collecting their free ice cream.

“There is no pressure to donate,” Rose said. “But since you aren’t paying for your ice cream on this day, if you can find it in your heart and pocketbook to drop a dollar or two in their buckets… ”

It’s Ben & Jerry’s annual #FreeConeDay today – https://t.co/7sHsRoQxpQ

— Ben Norum (@BenNorum) April 12, 2016

While you should check to see if your local Ben & Jerry’s is doing something special on April 12, it’s not just the ice cream stores that get involved in charitable causes, as the company itself does its best to promote farmers, the community, and the world environment in several ways.

The official Ben & Jerry’s website goes on to explain that if you choose Chocolate Fudge Brownie or Half Baked, those tasty brownie chunks are made by a social enterprise in Yonkers, New York, called Greyston Bakery. By enjoying those products, you are contributing towards providing jobs and training to residents facing employment difficulties.

Ben & Jerry’s source all their bananas, cocoa, coffee, sugar, and vanilla from suppliers who are Fairtrade Certified, meaning pretty much any flavor of your choice supports a good cause.

The ice cream company also cares for animals and Ben & Jerry’s only uses milk from Caring Dairy cooperative farmers, dedicated to raising happy cows. Their eggs are sourced from only the best certified humane, cage-free farms.

For those customers who have had enough of political corruption, Ben & Jerry’s suggest trying one of their nuttier products, containing almonds, hazelnuts, peanut, pecans or walnuts. Choosing those products adds your support to the company’s fight to “Get the Dough Out of Politics.” In fact, on that note, they even offer a Bernie Sanders flavor called “Bernie’s Yearning.”

So don’t be shy on Free Cone Day 2016. Go get your scoop of free ice cream, and don’t be shy. Once you have finished that delicious scoop, head to the end of the queue to come up for seconds.

[Photo via Flickr by cbhbrealty, cropped & resized/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0]