TOMS RIVER, NJ – What a beautiful weekend we had in Toms River these past few days. To make it even better, you may or may not know, Rita’s Italian Ice on Route 9 opened their stand for the season.
With temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s, the store quietly reopened this weekend serving up their delicious menu of ice and custard treats.
Founded in 1984, Rita’s Italian Ice has become a regionally loved chain brand with local stores in Jackson, Lakewood, and another on Fischer Boulevard across town. The brand which grew from a single stand owned by Philadelphia Firefighter Bob Tumulo now has 538 stores in 31 states, but perhaps New Jersey is the biggest fan base for the brand.
Each year, the company has offered a “First Day of Spring” event where they give free regular-sized ice to customers on the first day of spring, but the COVID-19 pandemic put a hold on that. This year, that’s coming back
Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its First Day of Spring promotion with a twist on its famous free Italian Ice giveaway on Sunday, March 20, 2022. Rita’s at over 600 locations combined are expected to give away approximately one million cups of their classic Italian Ice.