Ice cream truck bookings across Toronto are running ahead of last year's pace, with families, schools, and businesses locking in summer dates earlier than usual. Corporate parties, weddings, school fairs, and community festivals make up most of the requests, according to Ice Cream Kingdom, a Toronto-based mobile ice cream rental company that has tracked the increase in its own calendar.

The variety of events booked ranges from small-scale birthday celebrations held in the backyard to large-scale festivals attended by many guests. According to a company representative, it is evident that the main factor influencing this is people’s desire to have a product that they can hold in their hands and taste as opposed to seeing something on a screen.

A truck pulling up still gets the same reaction it did twenty years ago, the spokesperson said.Kids run over, parents smile, nobody's checking their phone for those ten minutes.

With over twenty years of service on its hands, Ice Cream Kingdom serves Scarborough, Mississauga, Vaughan, Oakville, and all areas in between with their trucks.

As well, they offer not only traditional soft serve but also other dietary considerations such as dairy free, vegan, and kosher. All these have been made available since more clients asked for it.

Companies make up an increasingly larger proportion of requests. Some business owners have chosen to use a truck wrapped in their branding as a travelling advertisement that invites customers. Others have chosen more affordable options, such as signage or window stickers, as they could not afford a complete wrap.

Schools and charities book trucks too, often as a low-cost way to raise money without renting equipment or hiring extra staff. One school fundraiser can bring in donations just from ice cream sales while giving students something to look forward to at the end of the day.

A standard rental starts at $295. The final cost will depend on how long the event lasts, the number of guests attending, and if you want to have your own brand of ice cream.
As summer weekends tend to be booked quickly, our recommendation would always be to reserve a date several weeks ahead instead of waiting until the weekend of your event.

About Ice Cream Kingdom

Ice Cream Kingdom is a Toronto-based mobile ice cream company that has served the Greater Toronto Area for more than 20 years. The company rents ice cream trucks for corporate events, weddings, schools, charities, and festivals, with nut-free, dairy-free, vegan, and kosher options on the menu. Ice Cream Kingdom also offers custom truck branding for businesses that want a mobile marketing option.