As it enters its 39th year, the iconic Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard continues to evolve, serving its brand of “Ice, Custard, Happiness” to consumers and franchisees alike. By Patty Horansky
As it enters its 39th year, the iconic Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard continues to evolve, serving its brand of “Ice, Custard, Happiness” to consumers and franchisees alike.
From its beginnings on a front porch outside of Philadelphia in 1984, Rita’s has grown to more than 550 shops in the U.S. and internationally and continues to expand. Today, Rita’s is the largest Italian ice chain in the world and has something of a cult-like following.
Its signature Italian ice and smooth, frozen custard remain its main attractions. Rita’s Ice is made fresh every day using real fruit and is available in a rotating daily selection from over 75 flavors.
Rita’s has thrived thanks to a business model that helps entrepreneurs start and grow a business they love. Walk-up and drive-thru options help make it a simple-to-run, simple-to-grow business model, while walk-in and mobile options make it a great fit for entrepreneurs looking for a fun, affordable community-oriented business in a $28 billion food franchise industry.
Rita’s continues to capitalize on additional growth channels, such as third-party delivery, maximizing drive-thrus, and evolving their mobile app to test online ordering and drive loyalty. The brand also emphasizes local community involvement through partnering with schools, sports teams and nonprofit organizations.
Rita’s recently placed among the Top 5 Frozen Dessert Franchises in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500® ranking. The award recognizes brands that excel in areas such as costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support and brand and financial strength and stability, according to Entrepreneur magazine.
Rita’s President and CEO Linda Chadwick, who came on board in 2017, has been responsible for many of the franchisor’s initiatives. Earlier last year, Chadwick appeared on an episode of CBS’s “Undercover Boss” As a result, Rita’s implemented a diversity and inclusion program and improved franchisee support.
Rita’s has produced year-over-year growth since Chadwick’s arrival. Plans for the coming year include driving system growth, adding new locations and focusing on the evolution of their digital-first strategy to drive guest loyalty and satisfaction.
Patty Horansky