Free Cone Day

Free Cone Day is an ice cream giveaway associated with Ben & Jerry’s. On the event day, participating Scoop Shops offer customers a free scoop, served in either a cup or a cone. According to Ben & Jerry’s, the first Free Cone Day took place in 1979 at its shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont, as a way to thank customers for supporting the business during its first year. The company’s history of Free Cone Day traces the event’s expansion from that single shop to all of its U.S. Scoop Shops in 1993 and to a global celebration in 2000.

The date has varied over the years. It was held on May 5 in 1979 and on various dates in April in many later years; the event was canceled from 2020 through 2022, then returned on April 3, 2023. The 2026 observance is scheduled for April 14. In the 2026 format, guests can choose any flavor and receive one free scoop at a time, returning to the line for another. Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day information describes the giveaway as the company’s way of thanking its fans.

Dairy Queen also uses the name for a separate free-cone promotion, which it has held since 2015, so participating brands and offers may differ from one Free Cone Day to another.

How to Observe Free Cone Day

Celebrate by visiting a participating Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop on Free Cone Day and choosing a favorite flavor. Check with the shop beforehand for its participation and hours, then enjoy the scoop in a cup or cone. If you want another, return to the line and order one scoop at a time. You can also celebrate at home with a bowl or cone of ice cream and learn more about the event’s history.

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