When the summer heat peaks, Americans turn to a beloved classic to stay cool: ice cream. It’s one of the reasons that we put together our roundup of the best ice cream shops in Southern Maine. With National Ice Cream Day right around the corner, on July 20, I thought it would be fun to share this information from Instacart on American’s favorite ice cream flavors as well as Maine’s. At the end of this article, I’ll share where you can go on National Ice Cream Day to get free or cheap ice cream.
America’s Most Popular Scoops
Call it plain or call it a classic, but Vanilla continues its reign as America’s most-ordered ice cream flavor on Instacart during last year’s National Ice Cream Day and all summer long. The second and third most popular flavors nationwide? Chocolate and Cookies & Cream.
Scoops by State
While vanilla is the undisputed national champ, Instacart wanted to get the full scoop on state-by-state differences by looking at which flavors were purchased most often in each state compared to the national average, adding a tasty twist to the story:
- Moose Tracks has a stronghold in the Midwest, including its home state of Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Ohio.
- Rocky Road – created by Dreyer’s in California – has amassed local West Coast love, with California and Nevada scooping it up.
- Maine was the only state to favor Peanut Butter Chocolate, showcasing a taste for classic flavor duos. This surprised me. I thought for sure that Grape Nuts ice cream or blueberry would be the state’s top flavors.
- Butter Pecan stayed true to its Southern roots and was a top sweet tooth choice in South and North Carolina.
Ice Cream’s Coolest Flavors
While Americans still love their classics, adventurous palates are reshaping the frozen dessert aisle. Perhaps that’s why there is a newer food holiday this year. It is called National Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day. Here is how some of these off-beat flavors have trended this past year:
- The share of pistachio ice cream orders rose by 25% year-over-year, showing that this green-hued flavor has broken into the mainstream.
- Green Tea saw a 24% increase, perhaps reflecting that matcha’s growing appeal spans beyond lattes.
- Craving a tropical escape, consumers scooped up Pineapple Coconut, pushing it up 37%, as bold flavors took center stage.
*Methodology: Instacart calculated the share of ice cream orders on the Instacart platform that contained both chocolate ice cream and pistachio ice cream in the same order in 2023 and 2024, then calculated the percentage difference.
Buzziest Ice Cream Brands on Instacart
It’s not only flavor, but also who makes the ice cream that is increasingly shaping how Americans shop. In 2024, a mix of legacy names and rising artisanal stars gained ground as people sought both nostalgic comfort and craft-made options.
From the inventive creations of Ben & Jerry’s to regionally beloved creameries like Tillamook and Straus, it’s clear that a wide range of ice cream makers are striking a chord with consumers. And as nostalgia takes the spotlight, people are reaching for budget-friendly options like Thrifty to revisit the sweet simplicity of the early 2000s.
The rise of better-for-you ice creams, like Ice Cream For Bears and Alec’s Ice Cream, in this top ten list of fastest-growing brands highlights a growing consumer interest in products made with fewer, simpler ingredients.
Of course, here in Maine, we like our local ice cream brands, too, such as Gifford’s. Personally, I love Gifford’s mint chocolate chip. Bill tends to go for the black raspberry flavor though he has had delicious blueberry ice cream, too.
Freebies for National Ice Cream Day in Maine
As promised here are the places I could find that would be participating in National Ice Cream Day and which have locations in Maine.
DQ (Dairy Queen)
DQ has already started celebrating National Ice Cream Day, with a week-long freebie offer. However, you can’t walk up to a DQ window and get this deal. You’ll have to use the app or website. Here are the details.
Enjoy a free Dilly® Bar on any order of $1 or more. This is available exclusively through the DQ® app and website for DQ® rewards members from July 14 to 20. One per rewards member.
When you sign up for the DQ Rewards program (formerly called the Blizzard Fan Club), you’ll also get free ice cream on your birthday. Here are all the places you can get birthday freebies in Maine including a separate list of birthday freebies for kids and teens.
Here’s where you’ll find DQ locations in Southern Maine:
- Auburn
- Biddeford
- Kennebunk
- Kittery (seasonal)
- Saco (seasonal)
- Sanford
- South Portland
- Topsham (seasonal)
- Wells (seasonal)
- Westbrook
- Windham
Friendly’s
To me, Friendly’s is one of the quintessential New England ice cream shops since it started in Massachusetts. These days, I could find only one Friendly’s location in Maine–210 Maine Mall Road, South Portland. Here’s what you can expect at Friendly’s for National Ice Cream Day.
Guests who join the Friendly’s Fan Club Rewards program will receive a free cone or dish of Friendly’s signature ice cream on July 20th for National Ice Cream Day.
Wendy’s
For National Ice Cream Day, Wendy’s is giving away a FREE small Frosty with any purchase on July 20. The sweet giveaway is only available for Wendy’s Rewards members via the restaurant’s app. Limit one per person.
Currently, there are 17 Wendy’s locations in all of Maine. You’ll find them in the following places:
- Auburn
- Augusta (2 locations)
- Bangor(2 locations)
- Biddeford
- Ellsworth
- Lincoln
- Orono
- Portland
- Saco
- Sanford
- Scarborough
- South Portland
- Topsham
- Waterville
- Windham
Final Scoop
Whether you’re sticking with classics or chasing the next niche flavor, one thing’s for sure: ice cream is a delicious expression of personal taste.
Portions of this story were produced by Instacart and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Alex Orellana from Instacart contributed.
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