Though it seems strange to hear of an ice storm hitting the area, Ice Storm Rita is coming. This storm will be bringing delicious, free Italian Ice to Rita’s shops everywhere. No need to stock up on bread and milk; fans of Italian Ice can head to their local Rita’s to embrace the ice alert with a free cup of the good stuff. On March 20, to celebrate their 27th annual First Day of Spring event, Rita’s Italian Ice will once again hold their famous free Italian Ice giveaway. Rita’s 600-plus locations combined are expected to give away more than one million cups of their classic Italian Ice.
Rita’s Italian Ice fans can welcome the ice alert knowing that Ice Storm Rita just means a delicious day dedicated to appreciating fans and treating them to free Italian Ice! No matter which Rita’s location fans visit on the First Day of Spring, they will be greeted by Treat Team members ready to serve up a free cup of Italian Ice. This year, the brand is offering free Rita’s Ice for a year to the superfan who shows how excited they are for the First Day of Spring and posts a picture to social media using #RitasFirstDayofSpringContest beginning on March 20th through 11:59 p.m. EST on March 22. How fans creatively show and share their First Day of Spring excitement is up to them, so all entries are welcome. Rita’s will be selecting one fan at the conclusion of the contest.
“Ice Storm Rita will bring many amazing flavors of Italian Ice to Rita’s guests all over the country,” says Linda Chadwick, president and CEO of Rita’s Italian Ice. “Our hope is to make Rita’s a fan-favorite for all Italian Ice lovers. The First Day of Spring is just a small way to show our appreciation to guests and celebrate the product that made us who we are today. I recommend heading to your local Rita’s and trying the Mango Italian Ice, it’s one of my favorites.”
In addition, Rita’s will launch their new Brookie Dough Cream Ice flavor on the First Day of Spring. The delicious Brookie Dough combination of cookie dough and brownie bites can be enjoyed in a number of Rita’s signature treats, like their signature Gelati, Misto Shake and Concrete, to name a few.
Originally founded in May 1984, Philadelphia firefighter Bob Tumolo enhanced his prized family recipe to include real fruit, named the product after his wife Rita, and Rita’s Italian Ice was born. Since then, Rita’s has staked its claim in the frozen treats industry by planting franchises across the country that offer a happy atmosphere, as well as set the standard for fresh and quality-driven Italian Ice.
