Today, April 29, 2008, marks the 30th anniversary of Ben and Jerry’s Free Cone Day. Started way back in 1979, this event offers – you got it – free ice cream. What could be better? Well, perhaps a free steak dinner or just giving you free money, but free ice cream isn’t bad. According to various sources, there are more than one million free cones given away each year, and many of the company’s Scoop Shops have charitable organizations present, which benefit from the extra crowds who gather to enjoy the free ice cream.
The staff at the shops also offer tickets for sale that will get you to the front of the line – these ticketes start for auction at low prices, such as $1, and then frenzied bidding (which is actually not terribly frenzied) ensues, depending on how long the line is. We saw one go for $5. Since the line isn’t usually very long, I’m surprised that they make much money in this manner at all. Whatever is raised goes to the charity that’s at the shop.
What is probably most disturbing is that a large percentage of the line is made up of repeat customers – people who simply go to the front of the line, get their free cone, then go back to the back of the line to eat their cone while waiting to get back to the front. I mean I get the whole concept of wanting free ice cream and all. But first, that makes people who are actually wanting to enjoy a free cone wait longer and second, it means that the company who is doing something to give back seem like they are stupid for doing so. Talk about taking advantage…