From left, Cold Stone creates treats to devour in minutes, Baskin-Robbins has the good stuff and 16 Handles does frozen yogurt right.
Ever wonder how consumers feel about your franchise? Editorial staffers Matthew Liedke, Emilee Wentland, Megan Glenn, Laura Michaels and Beth Ewen check out three brands in a different genre each issue, and report back.
Ice cream should be eaten with every meal. It should also be savored, but that’s basically impossible with Cold Stone Creamery because its flavors are simply too good. A visit to a shop in the Minneapolis area provided an opportunity to try two new-to-me flavors, Apple Pie a la Cold Stone and Cake Batter Batter Batter (each $5.99). Both were delightful, one for its graham cracker crust bits and apple pie filing, the other for its cookie dough and brownies in cake batter ice cream. There was no stopwatch, but the apple pie was easily gone in five minutes and ranks among the best ice cream flavors out there. I ordered online and selected the “blast freeze” option so the ice cream was extra cold to survive the 20-minute drive home. Both dishes stayed pretty chill, but a less eager consumer would probably prefer to throw them in the freezer to firm up for a few minutes before enjoying.
The upshot: Raised in Wisconsin, I’m biased to Culver’s and its custard for my frozen treat needs, but I may have to alternate in a few Cold Stone trips in the future. —E.W.
T here’s nothing like a dessert with the perfect combination of sweet and savory tastes. That said, Baskin-Robbins’ recent Chick’n & Waffles flavor elicited many questions, the first being, “is there actual chicken in it?” The answer, thankfully, is no. Instead, the buttermilk waffle-flavored ice cream has waffle bites mixed in along with a bourbon maple syrup swirl. The “crispy chick’n” bites, meanwhile, seem meant to mimic fried chicken skin and bring the perfect salty element to the treat. A generous single scoop cup is $3.99; get a triple scoop with multiple flavors for $7.99. The drive-thru of this suburban Dunkin’-Baskin dual location was notably busy at 3 p.m. on a Sunday, while inside a cheerful worker offered ice cream samples and presented us with heaping cups. The domed travel lids were a nice touch and prevented a potentially distracted driver from being tempted to balance spoon and steering wheel.
The upshot: Since two brothers-in-law created Baskin-Robbins (combining their last names) in 1945, the concept has been turning out traditional and inventive flavors, making it a reliable standby for those in search of ice cream bliss. —L.M.
I was scared to visit 16 Handles in New York City, the self-serve frozen yogurt shop that features—you guessed it—16 dispensers that customers use to fill their own cups to overflowing, plus a choose-your-toppings bar. Even in a pre-pandemic world I avoided self-serve places. Everyone takes forever. They all make a mess. The floors are soooo sticky. All. Those. Dirty. Hands. Post-pandemic? Fuggedabout it, but I was on assignment so steeled myself. Turns out 16 Handles prides itself on sparkling clean shops, with one franchisee telling me they get down on their knees to scrub the floors themselves. Alas I couldn’t verify this story, but at this shop did witness a spotless interior and—importantly—a glassed-in toppings bar where a friendly staffer loads up your selections. I tried a refreshing mango plus tangy strawberry gummies for a pleasing color and texture contrast, a small for $7.95. A line of raw cookie dough by DÖ is a new addition at 16 Handles, after new owner Neil Hershman bought the brand.
The upshot: My deep-seated fears of self-service were not realized at a spotless 16 Handles froyo shop in New York City. —B.E.