Rollin' in for the Free Cones.. Ben & Jerry's free cone day!

My frills are real icecream snobs.  Seriously.  I mean they love Mummy's homemade icecreams, but I just don't make them as often as I should.... (please anyone who has a spare kitchenaid 2l icecream attachment lying around?)..  In any case whenever there is icecream served - or we mention going out for icecream - the chorus begins 'Muummm... is it Ben and Jerry's?'.


Oh well, they've got good taste right?


So when we learned that there was a free cone day - it was a foregone conclusion... really, seriously, how could we pass THAT up?  If you don't know how good it is, see my original review here.  Ben and Jerry's run this event usually in April each year in every Ben and Jerry's store to thank their customers once a year for their custom - very generous!


So Ben and Jerry being as generous as they are decided to go one further for the Frills - the biggest lovers of Ben and Jerry's icecream.  A personal escort in the Ben and Jerry's rolling cone van.  Laura was desperate to go.  

'Come on you guys!'

'Checking my look in the mirror'

Olivia is our driver today... she wishes!

And here we are at beautiful Manly Beach.  My childhood playground.   A rarity in Manly, to find a real 'local'.  I went to school in the same street that Ben and Jerry's only Australian Scoop Shop resides.

It's a perfect sun-shiny day.

So we arrive to meet our friends Corrie with gorgeous Keira, Finn and Tillie.   And there's a line.  You gotta expect a line.  

There are girls wagging school (priorities people! Priorities!) and clearly the Ben and Jerry experience is something enjoyed by young and old..especially when there are free showbags!

It's not a huge line but it quickly gets longer and longer

It's really well organised - and once the clock strikes 1pm, it's all hands on deck and in no time we're getting our free cones

Image Courtesy Ben and Jerry's

We taste test a few - I asked which flavours are the most popular (although I have tried a good many) and I'm told by the super friendly staff - there's a few - but most likely triple caramel chunk and phish Food.  

image courtesy Ben and Jerry's

 I hadn't tasted either before - but had been recommended by of Lorraine to try the Phish Food and I concede, it is oooh-oooh-oooh-goood. The triple caramel chunk is rich and creamy, with indeed chunks of caramel covered in chocolate.  Indulgent.  My frills try chunky monkey and phish food also and they decide - chunky monkey it is!

And we head out in an orderly manner.. I am amazed - it doesn't feel rushed, it doesn't feel crowded it just tastes great!

 

'Mummmm, I'm trying to eat my icecream, you can stop taking photos now OK?'

The lovely Tillie

And the gorgeous Master Finn - who would NOT let ANYONE near his icecream.  Not even his Mummy!
(image courtesy Retromummy)

 And the striking Miss Keira.. it's more fun with a bit of mess!

What a day!  We spent a little more time in Manly and then 'slummed it' home on public transport - a great day and what I am sure will be an annual pilgrimage.  

Pros:  Free icecream (derr), well organised, friendly staff, shop is pram friendly (even double pram friendly)

Cons:  It could be the lines, but either camp out 45 minutes before open time and you'll be fine or come 1 hour after opening, crowd control is so well instrumented it would be a relatively short wait - (15 minutes max I'd think)

See you next year (ha! probably next week!)


benandjerry

Be a Fan

Print this post in friendly format