I'm embarrassed and I don't even work there. :eek:

My mother-in-law used to rave about the ice cream made and sold by University of New Hampshire's School of Agriculture.

I confess, I enjoy Cold Stone's ice cream. But I usually only get the smallest size offered and usually go maybe once every 3 months or so. Yes, $5 for ice cream is a lot, which is why it's a special treat for me.

What I like about their ice cream is all the creative combinations that they have. I had a peanut butter and chocolate combo the last time I was there and it was quite tasty. :)

University of Wisconsin - Madison. Excellent, of course!

"I do not want to be sang at" - how dumb:D :D :D

I went to Coldstone a few times in LEX (town, not airport) and I don't remember any singing. Not done everywhere?

I second this! Bascom Hall ice cream gotten at the UW Student Union. You can sit on the Terrace and look out over Lake Mendota. Of course, a Capitol Brewery beer in hand is also good...

I too confess that I like Coldstone. The prices aren't too extreme in my book (like another member mentioned Starbucks takes the cake) and for the amount i go there (maybe once every few months), I don't mind paying $5 for my ice cream. That being said, the singing just pisses me off. I was at a Coldstone in Napa, CA, and a few teenagers found it amusing to come in and give a tip (without ordering anything) just to hear them sing :td:

Growing in Upstate NY and the northeast ingeneral--you NEVER went to Friendly's for the food--always the ice crea,--which was great. Fribbles, the sundaes, the watermelon slices (ice cream that looked like watermelon). It blows away Cold Stone. What ever happen to the Mom and Pops stores? I despise the corporate placeslike Cold stone00refuse to pay $5 for crappy ice cream. I agree with the guy about Breyers--I can get a half gallon for $3 at the store and it suits me just great

Oversized servings, ice cream that is too rich and too sweet, not many flavors,
expensive.

My family loves Coldstone but given a choice, I'll eat my ice cream elsewhere.

(The ambience is almost always very upbeat though, so if you need a lift, stop in!)

Do you have an airport for real planes ?

I also enjoy Coldstone for an occasional treat. It's always busy in Gainesville - this is a college city, so students run amok. Our Coldstone employees only sing to you if you tip. They always greet you as you come in, and gives you exactly the combo you want, which is what I like... double caramel and chocolate fudge, in sweet cream ice cream, with heath bar and butterfinger mixed in...yummmmm....

I can only eat the small size as well, and go in 2 or three times a year. But it is very sweet and thick and creamy :)

Am I the only one out there who doesn't want to design his own ice cream?

I'm happy to pay for premium scoops (and am spoiled with the options in Boston), but one of the things I want for my money is an inventive flavor combination. For me, the Cold Stone concept falls flat, because none of the ingredients are interesting.

Give me the local stores that sell burnt caramel and fresh garden mint and guinness ice creams, served with a surly New England glare :D

I have to say that the Cold Stone version of cookies and cream was about the worst that I had ever tasted. I only finished about 1/4 of it and I am normally the type of person who leaves nothing behind.

If you are looking for a similar concept (and without the singing), Marble Slab is much much better.

No singing at the Cold Stone by our place, we actually live between three of them, and they are all all just tired HS kids schlepping out the ice cream.

We usually only get it when we can use the coupon on the back of the movie ticket we used that day. And we don't watch many movies.

I guess there's supposed to be some novelty to the whole idea of getting some "special" ice cream. I guess it's okay, but I don't crave it. The fact that we live between three of them is like TSS (The Starbucks Syndrome): way too many locations and wayyyy overpriced.

Not that I am being some coffee and ice cream snob, but they've been marketed so that people think it's something they need to add to their daily routine. Climb into EssYouVee. Go to drive-thru at MickeyDs so the kids get a healthy breakfast. Go to drive-thru at Fourbucks to get a half cafe doppio ristretto icy chillatta blended soy. Drop off kids at school that is one block away from house. Etc....