Missed the Jingle? Track Down Mister Softee Trucks With An App
Remember those hot summer days chasing down an ice cream truck through the neighborhood? Talk about pure nostalgia. I remember the jingles blaring from the truck with my money at hand, anticipating my Looney Tunes popsicle. Typically, listening out for the ice cream truck was the only way to track one down. But now, there’s an easier way.
If you’re looking for a Mister Softee ice cream truck around New Jersey, there’s an app that can help you locate one. According to the Mister Softee website, there are 625 trucks across 18 states.
“People are willing to drive 10 to 15 minutes to track a truck down because there may only be one truck in that county compared to the 20 to 30 trucks in [the Northeast],” Mike Conway, Mister Softee’s vice president told Food & Wine. “Here at the front office, that’s one of the main questions we get. They call and say, “Hey, where’s the truck? I need ice cream now.’”
Locating A Mister Softee Ice Cream Truck
Apparently, Mister Softee has had an app since 2020. The app features a map function. Its homepage is an Apple map flooded with images of Mister Softee trucks. You can enter your zip code or share your location. Both options will show you how close you are to an ice cream truck. Click on an image of a truck, and you’ll find its name and how long the truck has “been on the road for.”
You can also click “View Menu,” which takes you to what should have been Mister Softee’s full menu. It’s worth mentioning that it only shows chocolate and vanilla soft serve offerings available on the trucks.
When you tap the information button, then you’ll be led to an “About Us” page. “Welcome to the App of Mister Softee! This app will allow you to locate your local Mister Softee franchise, learn about becoming a franchisee, learn about private parties with Mister Softee and download our jingle,” it says. As described, there’s a “History” page, a contact form for party and event requests, and a page that describes how Mister Softee wants you to become a franchise owner.
Food & Wine reported that several of the company’s ice cream trucks are owned by franchise owners. They also mention that franchisees can decide whether or not they would like their trucks visible on the app. So, not all trucks are traceable.