National Ice Cream Day is approaching fast, and you’ll love the chance to enjoy great National Ice Cream Day freebies and deals before they melt away like a 🍨 sundae on a hot day!

National Ice Cream Day Deals 2023

Look at the delicious National Ice Cream Day 2023 offers and plan to enjoy a free or discounted scoop to stay cool during the intense July heat!

In addition to deals at national locations, be sure to find out if your favorite locally-owned places have special offers for Ice Cream Day.

National Ice Cream Day 🍦

National Ice Cream Day Deals

What could be more fun than uniting the country to spend a day celebrating our favorite summertime treat on National Ice Cream Day?

What is National Ice Cream Day?

For people wondering, “what is National Ice Cream Day?”, it’s a day that celebrates all things ice cream!

What is National Ice Cream Day?

National Ice Cream Month was originally proclaimed by the US President in July 1984, and July 15th of the same year was named National Ice Cream Day. Although the official proclamation only mentioned celebrating National Ice Cream holidays during that single month (and day) in 1984, unofficially, the National Ice Cream holidays continue each year!

While there are no longer presidential proclamations each year, ice cream vendors keep the fun with creative specials on your ice cream favorites.

When is National Ice Cream Day?

National Ice Cream Month Deals

The entire month of July is known as National Ice Cream Month, and there are a few great deals available all month, but the biggest and best deals will be on National Ice Cream Day, which is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of July each year. This year, National Ice Cream Day is on Sunday, July 16, 2023.

Holiday offers are usually announced about 1 – 7 days before the annual event. Mark your calendars and bookmark this page to check back for 2023 Ice Cream Day freebies and offers.

National Ice Cream Day Deals 2023

Make plans to visit your favorite ice cream parlour for these money-saving 2023 National Ice Cream Day offers!

National Ice Cream Day Deals – National

When is National Ice Cream Day

Many offers are announced just before (or the day of) National Ice Cream Day, so be sure to check back often to see the latest offers. Clear your schedule now – many of the 2023 National Ice Cream Day deals for Sunday, July 16, 2023, have been announced and are listed below!

• Bruster’s Ice Cream
  • reward members get 2x points (valid from 7/14/2023 – 7/16/2023)
  • get a FREE doggie sundae for dogs (ongoing offer)
  • get a FREE baby cone for kids less than 40 inches tall (ongoing offer)
• Bravo Italian Kitchen: reward members get a FREE Gelato w/ $30+ purchase and emailed coupon (valid 7/16/2023 only)
• Brio: reward members get a FREE Gelato w/ $30+ purchase and emailed coupon (exp 7/16/2023 only)
• Buca Di Beppo: reward members get a FREE Colossal Brownie Sunday w/ $50+ purchase and emailed coupon (valid 7/16/2023 only)
• Carvel:
  • get $5 off w/ certain orders of $25+ from DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, or Carvel’s website (valid 7/16/2023 only)
  • get a FREE soft ice cream sundae w/ purchase of sundae on Wednesdays (ongoing offer)
• Cold Stone Creamery
  • get $0.99 delivery w/ $20+ online or Cold Stone App orders (exp 7/31/2023)
  • get a $5 Bonus eCard w/ online purchase of $25+ in gift cards (exp 7/31/2023)
• Dippin’ Dots: get a FREE mini cup of Dippin’ Dots during a two-hour promo window – check with your local store to learn the local giveaway hours (valid 7/16/2023 only)
• Friendly’s
  • get a FREE Monster Mash tattoo (exp 7/16/2023 only)
  • the first 88 guests get a FREE limited-edition t-shirt, $0.88 single scoop cones, and complimentary Happy Endings Sundae coupon for their next visit (valid 7/16/2023 only)
• Graeter’s Ice Cream: reward members get single-dip sugar cones for only $1.53 (exp 7/31/2023)
• Happy Joe’s Pizza: get 1-scoop cones for $0.99 (exp 7/31/2023)
• IKEA: enjoy plenty of IKEA ice cream or new home furnishings with a FREE $20 IKEA eGift Bonus Card w/ $80 IKEA eGifts Card purchases through 7/16/2023 (while supplies last)
• Insomnia Cookies
  • get 1 FREE Scoop w/ in-store or delivery purchase through 7/16/2023
  • app users get 20% off of ice cream products w/ local delivery or pickup orders placed via the Insomnia Cookies App with promo code SUNFUN (valid on Sundays through 7/30/2023)
• Marble Slab Creamery
  • reward members get a FREE Small Ice-Cream w/ in-store visit on 7/16/2023
  • get $5 off of 8″ or larger ice cream cakes (exp 7/30/2023)
• Museum of Ice Cream: get FREE Ice Cream and play in the World’s Largest Sprinkle Pool at NYC, Chicago, and Austin locations (valid on 7/16/2023 only – click link for details)
• Nespresso
  • get a FREE Set of VIEW Espresso Glasses, 2 FREE Porcelain Coasters, and 1 FREE Sleeve of Bianco Piccolo w/ 17+ Vertuo sleeves and code POPSICLE2023 through 7/16/2023
  • get a FREE Vertuo Coffee Mug and a FREE Ice Cube Tray w/ 10+ Vertuo sleeves and code ICECREAM2023 through 7/16/2023
• Shake Shack: get BOGO Shakes w/ Shake Shack Mobile App or shakeshack.com orders scheduled for pickup between 2pm and 5pm and promo code SHAKEITUP (exp 7/31/2023)
• Sonic
  • get half-priced shakes and drinks all day w/ Sonic app and online orders (ongoing offer)
  • get half-priced shakes and drinks from 2 – 4 pm (ongoing offer)
• Steak ‘N Shake: get half-priced shakes and drinks on weekdays from 2 – 4 pm (ongoing offer)
• Sugarfina
  • get discounts on ice cream candies and other sweet treats for a limited time
  • get a FREE 8-Piece Candy Bento Box w/ $125+ purchase and code BENTO8 (exp unknown)
  • get a FREE 4-Piece Candy Bento Box w/ $75+ purchase and code BENTO3 (exp unknown)
• Whole Foods
  • Amazon Prime members get 35% off of ice cream and frozen treats (exp 7/18/2023)
  • all other guests get 27% off of ice cream and frozen treats (exp 7/18/2023)
• Yogurtland: reward members get 2x points w/ in-store purchase or online order (valid 7/16/2023 only)

Note that National offers are valid at participating locations only. Please check with your preferred location to make sure they participate in the Ice Cream Day deals.

National Ice Cream Day Deals – Local

Be sure to check your favorite local ice cream parlors for great deals on National Ice Cream Day 2023!

• Craft Creamery (TX): get 50% off all scoops and flights from 12 pm – 2 pm (valid on 7/16/2023)
• Harry Potter New York (NY): Butterbeer Ice Cream Truck will hand out yummy free treats on 7/16/2023
• Mortensen Dairy Ice Cream (CT): get $1 off any soft serve cone, cup, or sundae (exp on 7/16/2023 only) (also opening at 8 AM to serve their famous donut ice cream sandwiches while supplies last)
• Serendipity Homemade Ice Cream (MO): the day-long extravaganza includes hourly specials, a balloon twister, an enamel pin giveaway (1 pin per person with purchase), a koozie giveaway (with any pint purchase), and live music 6-9 pm (valid on 7/16/2023 only)
• Zoo New England (MA): the first 500 visitors (at both Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo) will receive a FREE frozen treat from Mini Melts Ice Cream (valid on 7/16/2023)

National Ice Cream Day 2023 – Contests

Dream big with these fun ice cream-themed contests for the 2023 Ice Cream Day! Click the links to learn more about each of these exciting ice cream contests!

• Alden’s Organic Ice Cream: win a prize pack including a FREE year’s supply of Ice Cream (exp 7/18/2023)
• Bruster’s Ice Cream: enter once per day to win FREE Ice Cream for a Year (exp 7/31/2023)
• Cold Stone Creamery: enter to win prizes including the GRAND PRIZE of the Barbie Dreamhouse, 4 Fandango Movie Tickets to see the new film BARBIE, FREE Cold Stone Creamery ice cream for a year, + BARBIE Movie Swag (exp 7/31/2023)
• Culver’s: reward members can enter to win the GRAND PRIZE of $10,000 and FREE Culver’s for a Year plus additional daily prize awards (exp 8/6/2023)
• KIND Snacks: win a FREE year’s worth of KIND FROZEN Treat Bars w/ Instgram contest through 7/16/2023
• Klondike: enter the “What Would Your HOMETOWN Do for a Klondike?” to have your hometown featured on Klondike Bar limited-edition packaging and an exclusive block party for your whole town (enter via Instagram through 7/16/2023 – click link for #WWYDHometownContest rules)
• Monkey Joe’s: enter to win FREE admission for National Ice Cream Day and FREE ice cream (click to enter via Facebook through 7/13/2023)
• My Mochi: win a FREE summer’s worth of My/Mochi w/ Instgram contest (exp 7/31/2023)
• Rite Aid: reward members can enter to win FREE Thrifty ice cream for a year (awarded in the form of a $350 Rite Aid Gift Card) (exp 7/31/2023)

More Ice Cream Fun

Ice cream is way too much fun to celebrate it only on one day – enjoy these other fun ice cream promotions and products at other times! Enjoy great treats and specials at these great ice cream vendors throughout the year.

Ongoing Ice Cream Deals

Fortunately, National Ice Cream Day isn’t the only time to score free ice cream. Learn even more ways to get great deals on ice cream!

No need to wait — these ice cream offers are available all year!

• Brusters Ice Cream: free doggie sundae for your dog every day
• Brusters Ice Cream: free baby cones for kids less than 40 inches tall every day
• Carvel: get a FREE soft ice cream sundae w/ purchase of sundae on Wednesdays
• Sonic: get half-priced shakes and drinks in-store from 2 – 4 pm
• Sonic: get half-priced shakes and drinks all day with Sonic app and online orders
• Steak ‘N’ Shake: half-price shakes and drinks on weekdays from 2 pm – 4 pm

Additional Ice Cream Holidays

Some shops choose to participate in other free ice cream and frozen treat promotions like Free Cone Day (which falls on different dates depending on the store) on other dates and milestones. So even if your favorite ice cream shop isn’t participating in the National Ice Cream Day promotions, stay alert to find specials during other times of the year!

• February: TCBY offers BOGO frozen yogurt on National Frozen Yogurt Day
• March: Rita’s offers free Italian Ice on the 1st day of Spring
• March: Dairy Queen hosts a free cone day in March
• March: Bruster’s offers a free cone to people wearing pajamas on PJ Day in late March
• April: Ben & Jerry offers a free mini cone on free cone day in April 
• May: Häagen-Dazs hosts a free cone day on the 2nd Tuesday in May #HDFreeConeDay (program may be suspended)
• May: Culvers offers deals on ice cream on their “Scoops of Thanks” days in early May
• June 7: National Chocolate Ice Cream Day #ChocolateIceCreamDay #NationalChocolateIceCreamDay
• July 25: National Hot Fudge Sundae Day #HotFudgeSundaeDay #NationalHotFudgeSundaeDay
• August 19: National Soft Ice Cream Day #SoftIceCreamDay #NationalSoftIceCreamDay
• November 11: National Sundae Day #SundaeDay #NationalSundaeDay

Check websites for participating locations near you.

TIP: Remember that you can also get free offers for sweets and ice cream when you sign up for e-newsletters, loyalty programs, and/or download an app. Visit the Free Restaurant Sign Up Bonuses article for the list of places where you can get free desserts and sweets at any time of the year!

Enjoying Ice Cream at Home

National Ice Cream Day 2023

The fun doesn’t have to end once the annual Ice Cream Day event has ended. It’s easy to enjoy ice cream at home, whether you make it yourself or order it from a store. If you want to try making your own, you’ll be surprised that all it takes is an ice cream maker and a few simple ingredients!

Ice Cream Makers

Choose one of many different types of ice cream makers depending on your family’s needs.

So many great models of ice cream makers!

Ice Cream Recipes

There is no shortage of recipes and videos on how to make ice cream on the internet, but sometimes there is no substitute for the real thing. Pick up one of these fantastic cookbooks and make your own recipe notes to help refine your favorites.

Ice Cream Add-Ons

Whether you start with a straight scoop of vanilla or a mix of different flavors, these ice cream add-ons can take your treats to the next level.

Ice Cream Accessories

These fun items celebrate the fun spirit of ice cream.

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What is National Ice Cream Day about

Which ice cream offers are you craving this year? Do you also enjoy celebrating these fun national “food holidays”?

• National Queso Day Offers
• National Coffee Day Offers
• National Cinnamon Roll Day Offers