Soft Serve Is The Most Popular Frozen Treat Today: What Your Ice Cream Shop Should Keep On Standby

Soft Serve Is The Most Popular Frozen Treat Today: What Your Ice Cream Shop Should Keep On Standby

Ice cream is a dessert that knows no cultural boundaries or season.

Just like cake and pie have their own dedicated fans, so too does ice cream. This delicious frozen treat has a special appeal that can't be duplicated. Families and couples flock to ice cream stores in the summer to cool down, and a bowl of vanilla gelato makes a fantastic supplement to a hearty dinner in the winter months. The average frozen yogurt or soft serve shop has a lot of work cut out for it year-round, to say the least. A soft serve machine for sale might just be your next purchase to make sure you can keep up with a customer base that's always hankering for a tasty frozen treat.

How has ice cream maintained such a consistent appeal, and how can you turn that appeal into steady revenue for your business?

The Interesting History Of Soft Serve Ice Cream

Believe it or not, soft serve wasn't always the go-to staple of the summer. It had to be introduced at some point, making the mid-1970s a very good time to be craving something cold and delicious. It became a staple for its uniquely creamy texture and ability to be eaten quickly, unlike more frozen forms of ice cream. Unfortunately, this early soft serve was also a major health hazard thanks to the original formula using raw eggs. Today, soft serve uses an egg-free recipe that's just as delicious as the ingredients from yore.

Most Popular Ice Cream Choices Among Americans

After finding a soft serve machine for sale, it's your job to make sure it's put to good use. What do customers want to see out of their ice cream shop of choice? Vanilla remains the most popular flavor in the United States by a landslide (so popular that it has its own special day on July 23). A recent survey also found that, when given a choice, consumers will choose a soft serve mix seven out of 10 times when compared to hard ice cream. That's not all you should be looking out for, either.

The Growing Appeal Of Frozen Yogurt

While ice cream is delicious, some wish it was more nutritious. This is where frozen yogurt comes into play. Federal law dictates ice cream must have at least 10% milkfat before the addition of bulky ingredients (such as fruit or chocolate chunks). Sherbet ice cream has a milkfat content of just 1% to 2%, while frozen yogurt is a fat-free choice that can help people tackle their cravings even as they're trying to lose weight. There are thousands of frozen yogurt shops across the country, and many rely on the same soft serve machines found at more traditional ice cream shops.

Maintenance Tips For Refurbished Ice Cream Machines

Your shop will see different levels of volume throughout the year, so you need to find a soft serve machine for sale that's up to the challenge. Spring and summer is prime time for enjoying the good weather and grabbing an ice cream cone. While autumn and winter may see a dip in your sales, you should always be prepared for the possibility of your equipment shutting down unexpectedly. Your Taylor ice cream machine should be cleaned out daily, as fat and sugar can accumulate in the nozzles and affect the quality of your desserts. Any unusual noises or difficulty pumping ice cream should be taken seriously and checked as quickly as possible.

Choosing A Soft Serve Machine For Sale

Should you get a Taylor shake machine or a Taylor soft serve machine? Are you able to find a soft serve machine for sale that can handle a high volume of customers? These are just a few of the important questions you should keep in mind. Ice cream remains one of the most popular cold desserts in the country, even when the weather dips from warm to cool, and your shop should enjoy steady business provided your equipment can keep up. This means performing regular maintenance, buying the right Taylor parts for replacement, and shaking up your menu.


Ice cream is the dessert of the ages. Is your ice cream machine up to the task?