Photo by Misha Enriquez, courtesy of Visit Alexandria
Ben & Jerry's is located at 103 S. Union St. in Old Town Alexandria.
Ben & Jerry's will be offering a free scoop of ice cream on Tuesday, April 14 at its ice cream shops, according to its website.
"Free Cone Day is being celebrated in Scoop Shops around the world, and we'll be giving away free ice cream at a host of locations between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m.! Don’t forget to tell your friends!" their website notes.
In addition to the shop in Old Town Alexandria, located at 103 S. Union St., there are several other locations in Northern Virginia including:
- Arlington: 2800 Clarendon Blvd.
- Fairfax Corner: 4205 Fairfax Corner E. Ave.
- Reston Town Center: 11916 Market St., Reston Town Center
- Vienna: 136C Maple Ave., Vienna Shopping Center
The company calls the special day Free Cone Day:
Every year, we celebrate Free Cone Day at Scoop Shops around the globe, sharing the love with FREE cups and cones of your favorite Ben & Jerry's flavors. It's our way of saying THANK YOU for being the best fans ever. There's no catch and no fine print — just visit your nearest Scoop Shop on April 14 and grab a free scoop of your favorite flavor on us. We can't wait to see you!
Also read: The Scoop on Alexandria's Frozen Sweets
Not sure which flavor to choose? Here's a look at the most popular ones, based on sales and popularity rankings, courtesy of AllRecipes:
- Half Baked: A mix of chocolate chip cookie dough and fudge brownie.
- Cherry Garcia: Cherry ice cream with cherries and fudge flakes.
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: Vanilla ice cream with large chunks of cookie dough.
- The Tonight Dough: Caramel and chocolate ice creams with cookie swirls and dough.
- Chocolate Fudge Brownie: A classic, rich chocolate base with chewy brownies.
- Phish Food: Chocolate ice cream with caramel, marshmallow, and fudge fish.
- Strawberry Cheesecake: Cheesecake ice cream with strawberries and graham cracker swirl.
- Americone Dream: Vanilla with waffle cone pieces and caramel.
- Milk & Cookies: Vanilla with cookies and cookie swirls.
- Chunky Monkey: Banana ice cream with fudge chunks and walnuts.
The ice cream company also offers a few reduced fat and reduced sugar options.
Ben & Jerry's has been in business since 1978, when it was founded in Burlington, Vermont by childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. They opened their first ice cream scoop shop in a renovated gas station after taking a $5 correspondence course. Known for their thick, chunky and creative flavors, the company grew from a local favorite to an international brand while maintaining a strong commitment to social justice, environmental activism and philanthropic endeavors through their foundation.
Unilever bought the company in 2000 for $326 million while maintaining the social mission aspect with an independent board. Last year, it was spun off and is under a new entity called The Magnum Ice Cream Company a standalone company headquartered in Amsterdam.
The founders of the company, now in their 70s, live in Williston, a suburb of Burlington. Fans of the company can tour the Waterbury, Vermont factory and enjoy free samples of course.
