This is how Cold Stone advertised but that's not how it went at our local store.

"To cap off this special month, don't miss the 7th Annual World’s Largest Ice Cream Social at participating Cold Stone Creamery locations nationwide, a special night to join together and share the simple pleasures of life with a FREE ice cream and family fun. On September 25th from 5:00 - 8:00PM, guests will be treated to a 3 oz. serving of Jack or Emily's Creation. All donations will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation." Cold Stone Creamery Promotions

We went and were kinda taken aback by the mandatory donation to the Make a Wish Foundation. I don't mind donating but we were told that you "HAD" to donate at least one dollar per person or no ice cream. I even asked two employees and was told the same thing.

My friend's husband lost his job and it was very embarrassing for them to have to give what little they could afford because the kids had their hearts set on the treat. She said if she had known, she wouldn't have gone.

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Contact Us I would contact the company and explain your concerns. Maybe they would even offer a great job to the dad.

That really sucks..


They should never advertise something like that.

I think that's an excellent suggestion. No company wants to be known as the place that make the choice to embarrass someone. They want good publicity, not bad!

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I'd call corporate as well...explain the situation and have them answer any questions. good luck.

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I would call the corporation and let them know what happened. The employees were wrong, the donations aren't supposed to be mandatory.

I emailed them we all should then they get input from all over the country from unrelated people they will do something about it especially if everyone says they will not be going back to the store.

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I disagree here. They have billed this as a fundraiser for Make A Wish since the beginning of this program. (I think they had this last year too) Now I guess you could insist on getting your ice cream for free, but what harm would there be to give a donation to such a worthy cause? They asked for a DOLLAR.....their ice cream normally runs about $4-$5 per serving. How hard would it have been to give them a dollar for each person in your party??

It's not like they said it was free, but now we're gonna take your money and put it in our pockets, they are raising money for a charity. I think even folks that have very little can give one dollar. If I invited someone with me that could not afford it once we got there I would step up and pay for them. We don't have much either these days, but if you consider that you are getting something that normally runs $4-$5 per, you are getting a bargain!

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I would hope that a 3 oz serving doesn't cost $4-5. 3 oz isn't even half a cup, a rather small portion.

It said "FREE ice cream". There was no mention in the promotion that a donation was mandatory.
I understand it's for a good cause and if you can donate, great. But there are those who can't.
How hard would it have been to give them a dollar for each person in the party? If my family had gone (we had planned on it but ended up we couldn't) we would have had to pay $5 if they insisted. We honestly don't have $5 to spare. So if you're "poor" you shouldn't be allowed to participate in their promotion for a free ice cream? If a donation was mandatory they should have stated that in the promotion.

peapie

The attraction of Cold Stone is their "mix ins". I was there with my family about a week ago. I got a small ice cream creation (it came with 3 mix ins) and it came to $4.95. I believe it's a 4 oz serving of ice cream.

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Toonces -

While I agree that the Make A Wish Foundation is a great charity, that's not the point; Cold Stone advertised this as a free event to raise money for charity (the logical assumption is that you donate what you can, not a mandatory donation). And my kids did get the 3oz. cup and it was extremely small; maybe 4-5 spoonfuls - definitely not even a child's size.

I also think it's wrong to assume that every family is able to give a $1 donation per person. My county has been hit very hard and layoffs abound. Luxuries such as Cold Stone are a thing of the past for several of my friends. There was an elderly couple behind us in line and they were forced to pay as well. She even showed them the ad but they only paid for one so I don't know if they shared or argued the point as we left but it was embarrassing just the same.

Anyhow, I did email them. I wonder if it was just our store. Did anyone else go to Cold Stone for 'free' night?

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I agree there 100%

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While this was advertised as a fundraiser.. it in no way says you must donate a $1 for this ice cream. to me a donation is my choice of what I wish to give. If they wanted to raise money.. instead of "FREE" ice cream they could advertise it as $1 ice cream for a good cause.

Since they did not .. If I want to get the "free" ice cream I should be able to get it free or donate 10 cents or $10 if I chose.

I would email the company.

Well, I can see both of your points...I agree with Toonces that Make a Wish is a wonderful organization. I would feel really funny going to get ice cream at this event if I wasn't planning on donating something. At least $1.00...I would probably give more if I had it to give. I realize that these are hard times and the economy is terrible. But, if I wasn't going to donate anything, I just would pass on it and not go. I'd sit home and eat my $2.99 gallon of Breyers that I could afford. I do agree that if it said free, then it should have been free. They should not have told you that it was mandatory that you pay. But just personally, I would be embarassed to show up to something like this and not donate to the cause. I would feel like I was looking for a handout. I'd opt to just not go. No big deal. Just my opinion... ~Lisa

Probably had a store challenge with another store on who could get the most donations and that store demanded the donations to win.

But like Lisa said if I was going for the ice cream and knew it was a fundraiser for all those kids then I would have donated cause otherwise I wouldnt have gone. Could have turned around and grabbed a gallon <well not exactly a gallon anymore> but could have shared with your friends watching a good movie on tv

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I had goten an email about this a few weeks ago and forgout all about it. I looked at the mail, and it sais FREE - to benefit the make a wish foundatchion. I did not see anything about a fund raiser, but, I would have givven them something. 3oz is small, but, there stuff is so good. I hope everyond is on their birthday program. I think you get a free big ice cream. I agree it should not have been told you to give $1.

I've seen "free" car washes w/ donations to go to the local DECA club, or cheerleaders or whatever....Did I honestly think I should or could get a free wash without donating? Ummmm....NO! It's a fundraiser. Didn't yall's momma ever teach you there ain't nothing in this life free???

Could I have argued that the advertising was misleading? Of course, but I think that would be very petty.

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Yes! Now this one is truly free, and it's not just for kids! You get a medium sized creation for free. My twins just turned 18 and they couldn't wait to redeem their free birthday coupon.

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I never saw the advertising on this so I have no dog in this fight.

Saying that, I would agree that if local kids were doing a "free"car wash or something, you know that you are going to give them a donation.

However, lots of corporations have been doing freebies--McD, Dunkin Donuts, Friendly to name a few have offered "free" products ....so yea, I do expect a freebie from a national corporation if they advertise it.

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Lisa where do you get a gallon of Bryers ice cream for $2.99/ I have never even seen a gallon container of their ice cream but it sounds good to me.

That made me giggle!

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I got a coupon for a free icecream creation in my email for my birthday a couple of days ago but did not use it.I tried their icecream for the first time last year and was very unimpressed.I like my icecream hard ,not the consistancy of whipped cream.We went to the free icecream day last year at Cold Stones and were also told that you had to donate a $1.00 to get the "free" icecream.I'll be glad to donate the $1 but they can keep their melted blob on a dish.

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I personally would not go to this type of promotion without some $ to donate...but agree that if they advertise FREE ice cream that is what you should get. If they want $1 they should advertise ice cream for just $1donated to the charity...

Never had it but what a mental picture lol

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Hi...sometimes I've seen Bryers on sale for this price at the local grocery store, Kroger. There is also another brand which I believe is called Dreyers...not to be confused with Breyers. This is the only type of ice cream we used to eat back in Philly growing up besides the stuff we got from the Good Humor truck. Then, they came out with Turkey Hill which I thought was really good too...but you can't get that in this region. Anyway, the Breyers or even the Publix brand it will do the job. I think that most of these marble slab creamery places are overrated anyway for the price. I'd never pay the price they want for Haagen Dazs in the mall! Down here we have a place called Brusters which has the best ice cream that I've ever tasted. They give you alot and we have alot of BOGO coupons from a fundraiser that we did with the school orchestra. All this talk about ice cream is making me want to have some! ~Lisa

Wal Mart has Breyers for $3.50 right now.

Starting a few months ago, almost the entire end of summer, it was $2.50 a gallon.


I agree, Turkey Hill is good! We have it here in our Kroger Stores.

I think y'all are talking about "1/2 gals" - which are now 1.5 qts, aren't you? The size that is normally sold at the grocery store....

cj/

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I think the wording was confusing. I mean, yes, we know nothing is free, really. But some people probably saw FREE ice cream as a sure thing and DONATION as optional.

Best ice cream I've tasted in Thrifty's.

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I think it was wrong for the store to demand a dollar donation. Cold Stone has plenty of money to make a corporate donation and give the ice cream away for free. Just think of all the advertising they got from this deal.