TL;DR
Friendly's is celebrating National Ice Cream Day with a one-day giveaway of free scoops, marking 91 years of serving ice cream to families and communities. The brand expects to draw 100,000 guests systemwide and hand out 12,000 to 15,000 free scoops on July 19, 2026.
The one-day giveaway marks 91 years of Friendly's scooping up ice cream for families, teams, friends and communities across the country — proof that some traditions are worth celebrating with sprinkles on top. Guests chasing even sweeter perks year-round can still join the free Fan Club Rewards program, but on July 19, everybody's a VIP. This offer also highlights the brand’s long-standing connection to ice cream culture and its tradition of bringing people together over sundaes, burgers, fries and shared joy.
This year, National Ice Cream Day is expected to draw 100,000 guests systemwide, with 12,000 to 15,000 free scoops handed out coast to coast. It's all part of a legacy nine decades in the making: Friendly's served roughly 12.5 million scoops in 2024, 12 million in 2025, and is projected to hit 13 million in 2026. Talk about the cherry on top!
WHO: Friendly’s Restaurants, the diner-style family favorite known for its sundaes, burgers and fries, has served ice cream for more than nine decades to generations of guests. The celebration underscores the brand’s continued focus on creating shared experiences and rewarding fans.
WHEN: Sunday, July 19, 2026
WHERE: All Friendly’s locations nationwide
In this story
This story was originally published in Franchising.com on July 10, 2026. Burnaze summarizes and links to the original reporting.
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