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The kinda-hippie ice cream makers of Chunky Monkey, Cherry Garcia, and Phish Food have been giving out free scoops one day a year since 1979 — and we expect the treats will return on Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day April 3, 2024.
What started as a way for Ben & Jerry’s to thank customers for their support after their FIRST year of business has turned into a massive tradition, with scoop shops inundated with treat-seekers, forming lines that stretch for blocks. And it’s their chance to raise awareness for local environmental and social organizations.
So how does Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day work? What does it take to get the free scoop? What about flavors, cones, etc.? We’ll tell you everything you need to know for next year’s event based on what we saw in 2023.
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Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day takes place on April 3
The date for Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day has varied over the decades. In 2023, their free cone day was April 3. If that date holds up for the next event in 2024, free cone day will be on a Wednesday. Due to the pandemic, this year marked the first cone day in four years.
You get a free scoop of ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s — no questions asked.
Ben & Jerry’s has more than 600 scoop shops worldwide, and the vast majority of them participated in Free Cone Day on Monday, April 3 between noon and 8 p.m. (You could find your scoop shop at BenJerry.com by filtering locations by “Free Cone Day.”)
You didn’t need to be part of their loyalty program, have a coupon code, or anything like that; all you had to do was show up and get your free scoop of ice cream in a cone or a cup.
Note: Free Cone Day is for in-person visitors only; online orders don’t qualify.
Pick whatever flavor you want for Free Cone Day.
Want Stephen Colbert’s AmeriCone Dream or New York Super Fudge Chunk? No prob. Free Cone Day doesn’t limit you to just certain flavors on the menu. In 2023, you could select from all of the ice cream varieties they had on hand for your one free scoop.
Now, before you ask … the free scoop didn’t come with extras like toppings or one of the fancy waffle cones or dipped cones.
Ben & Jerry’s cash registers won’t be functioning on Free Cone Day.
Ben & Jerry’s employees say they didn’t use their registers on free cone day since all they did was hand out free scoops. But unlike Frozen Yogurt Day, you couldn’t get the free scoop and then pay for additional scoops. Everybody received one scoop (although one Ben & Jerry’s employee I spoke to said that if you wanted another scoop, you just had to get back in line).
Look out for a front-of-the-line pass to benefit local charities.
On Free Cone Day, April 3, some Ben & Jerry’s locations raised money for environmental groups, food banks, community shelters, and other similar local charities by selling front-of-the-line passes. Although we can’t verify what the exact cost was to get to the front of the line in 2023, word is, at some shops, any donation worked.
Enter a Free Cone Day sweepstakes to win a free year supply of Ben & Jerry’s
In 2023, Ben & Jerry’s held a sweepstakes for a year’s supply of their ice cream. The sweepstakes ran from 9 a.m. ET on April 3 to 5 p.m. ET on April 14. There was no purchase necessary. All you had to do was visit their sweepstakes page, fill out the registration form and you were entered into the sweepstakes. Only one entry per person/email address was permitted. Ten grand prize winners received 52-pint coupons (approx. retail value $350).
Want more free or cheap Ben & Jerry’s? We’ve collected some coupons.
We’re constantly scooping up all the Ben & Jerry’s coupons so you can buy your favorite ice cream at the store for cheap — or sometimes, for free. And beyond that, you can look forward to all the freebies that follow Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day like National Ice Cream Day in July.
