BURLINGTON, Vt. — Ben & Jerry’s will once again give away free ice cream around the world on April 14, reviving its long-running Free Cone Day tradition at participating Scoop Shops across multiple countries. The one-day promotion allows fans to line up and receive unlimited free scoops throughout the day, with the company aiming to distribute 1,000,001 cones globally during the event.
The promotion will take place at participating scoop shops in cities including Brighton, Mallorca, and Montreal, to the company’s hometown of Burlington, Vermont. The event is open to both new and returning customers, continuing a decades-long tradition that began as a simple thank-you to the local community.
Fans can visit participating locations throughout the day and return to the line as many times as they like, sampling flavors such as Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Cookie Dough, or Scoop Shop exclusives like Marshmallow Sky and Mint Chocolate Chunk.
According to CEO Jochanan Senf, the event remains focused on celebrating the brand’s customer community.
“Free Cone Day is all about our fans. It’s our way of saying thank you with an international moment of togetherness,” Senf said in a statement announcing the promotion. “In 2026, we aim to go even bigger.”
Customers can locate participating shops and opening hours through the brand’s official website.
A nearly 50-year ice cream tradition
Free Cone Day began in 1979, when co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield offered free ice cream at their Burlington shop to celebrate surviving their first winter in business.
What started as a local thank-you quickly evolved into a global event. Today, the promotion is held in 13 countries, with millions of scoops distributed over the years.
In 2023, the company served 1 million free scoops, and this year’s goal pushes the target slightly higher to 1,000,001 cones.
The promotion also doubles as a way to showcase the brand’s flavor portfolio, including classic retail varieties and limited Scoop Shop exclusives not widely available in grocery stores.
Why it matters
Free Cone Day illustrates how experiential marketing continues to play a role in consumer packaged goods and foodservice brands.
Rather than relying solely on retail promotions, brands are increasingly creating in-person events that generate social media engagement, customer loyalty, and brand visibility.
For ice cream companies in particular, in-store experiences can help strengthen relationships with customers while showcasing premium flavors that may later drive grocery store purchases.
The strategy also taps into the growing value of brand rituals and annual traditions, recurring events that consumers anticipate and share online, amplifying marketing reach organically.
Other News
While Ben & Jerry’s relies on massive, real-world experiential events like Free Cone Day to leverage its legacy and drive physical foot traffic, other categories are proving that nostalgia can be just as powerful of a traffic-driver in the grocery aisle. Capturing that same joyful, throwback energy for a modern demographic, the confectionery space is currently seeing a massive resurgence in revived formats, highlighted by Iconic Candy’s recent launch of its highly anticipated Retro Sours exclusively at Target. For CPG strategists and retail buyers, comparing Ben & Jerry’s scoop-shop activations with Iconic Candy’s retail-exclusive flavor drops demonstrates the two most effective ways legacy brands are weaponizing nostalgia to capture Gen Z and Millennial spending in 2026.
Editor’s note: Source86 perspective
For food manufacturers and private label brands, promotions like Free Cone Day highlight the marketing power of experiential food campaigns. Limited-time events not only generate excitement but also create opportunities to introduce new flavors, test product demand, and build long-term brand loyalty.
At Source86, we help CPG brands and food companies scale these moments with reliable ingredient sourcing, private label development, co-manufacturing partnerships, and supply chain transparency. When demand spikes from major promotions or seasonal campaigns, having the right suppliers and manufacturing partners in place ensures brands can deliver consistently at scale. Let’s talk.
FAQs
Free Cone Day will take place on April 14, 2026, at participating Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops worldwide.
No. Customers can return to the line multiple times during the event and receive additional free scoops while supplies last.
Fans can locate participating Scoop Shops and confirm store hours through the official Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day webpage.
External source: Ready, set, scoop! Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day Returns on April 14th
