The History of Ice Cream Trucks

These days, ice cream trucks seem to have been around forever! Like beloved food trucks that grace the streets of many major cities across the United States, ice cream trucks have become an American staple—especially during the sweltering summer months. But just like cars and trucks themselves haven’t been around forever, ice cream trucks haven’t, either.

So just when were ice cream trucks first introduced onto the streets? And whose idea was it to start serving ice cream on wheels?

Before the Ice Cream Truck Came the Ice Cream Cart

If we’re talking about ice cream on wheels, there’s a different type of transportable ice cream service that came about well before ice cream trucks blossomed in popularity. Ice cream carts—most often small carts with two wheels that could be pushed or pulled by a single person—started in urban areas during the nineteenth century when immigrants began to sell creamy ice cream from personalized carts. During this time period, patrons of ice cream carts would eat their scoop of ice cream from a glass or metal dish and then return it to the ice cream cart vendor. This type of ice cream treat was called a penny lick at the time.

Some ice cream cart vendors took their offerings to a whole new level and offered ice cream sandwiches for an extra cost to hungry customers. This option didn’t require the use of a reusable ice cream dish and allowed ice cream to become even more transportable than it already was with the ice cream cart!

Ice cream carts were the most transportable method of bringing a sweet treat to the masses until the turn of the century. The beginning of the twentieth century saw many exciting developments with technology and innovation. One of those developments was the invention of the motor car. At the time, the car was seen as a perfect option for selling ice cream because the motor would allow for electric coolers to keep the ice cream frozen rather than a block of ice and some insulation.

Who Invented the First Modern Ice Cream Truck?

The man most give credit to for creating the first-ever ice cream truck also happens to be the creator of one of the first ice cream bars. Harry Burt from Ohio reportedly started delivering ice cream from a motor vehicle in the early 1900s and, after finding much success with his ice cream truck, came up with the genius idea to create ice cream bars by covering vanilla ice cream with chocolate and placing it on a stick. This new creation would allow ice cream to be more transportable, affordable, and appealing to people than ever before. Because of the way it was packaged, this ice cream bar, or ice cream “sucker,” as it was known during the early days of Burt’s creation, was cleaner and easier to eat than ice cream out of a glass dish.

Burt’s creation came to be known as the Good Humor ice cream bar and went on to achieve massive success and popularity. The Good Humor brand was around through much of the twentieth century, all because of Burt’s ingenious idea to sell ice cream on a stick and sell it to the masses via his ice-cream motor car. The Good Humor brand is now owned by UniLever and is still sold in stores today.

Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Trucks Were Different than Modern One

As might be expected, the ice cream trucks of yesteryear didn’t follow the same model as the ones we know today. The original Good Humor ice cream trucks didn’t come outfitted with speakers and ice cream jingles to be played over loudspeakers while driving through suburban neighborhoods. They did, though, reportedly come with a bell—the original bell on the first ice cream truck reportedly came from a bobsled in the Burt family home.

Ice cream trucks were also initially driven by men in matching uniforms. The reasoning for this is supposedly due to Burt’s desire to present the ice cream trucks as safe and clean. To get this idea across, Good Humor drivers all wore spotless white uniforms with bow ties and hats. There were even rules that required the drivers to tip their hats at ladies and salute gentlemen as they passed or served various customers.

A Continued Success

Through the 1920s when Good Humor’s ice cream trucks continued to thrive, the idea of using trucks to sell ice cream continued to expand and rise in popularity. When prohibition laws went into effect across much of the country in 1920, many people who would have sought out bars as a place to meet and have a good time were drawn to ice cream parlors, soda fountains, and newly commissioned ice cream trucks.

This success was especially evident during the Great Depression when many ice cream parlors with physical locations had no choice but to shut down. Ice cream trucks, however, continued to serve happy customers due to both the low cost of operating without as many overhead expenses and the more affordable ice cream treats offered.

This success continued through WWII and after the war, ice cream production in general boomed. As the world, and America, recovered from the devastating effects of the war, manufacturing and food production grew exponentially. In the coming decades, soft-serve ice cream was created in Philadelphia. The famous Mister Softee machine was created in 1956 and was designed specifically for use and operation in a truck like the Good Humor ones that had become so successful and popular.

Ice Cream Trucks Today

Modern ice cream trucks come in many shapes and sizes and aren’t all as uniform as Burt’s original Good Humor trucks. While some ice cream trucks still make the bulk of their sales driving through town playing a catchy tune to get the attention of every ice cream lover on the block, many modern ice cream trucks rely heavily on social media to reach customers.

Many trucks like the Besties Ice Cream Truck advertise their location for the day and let customers come to them or are available as a fun addition to parties and events. These days, ice cream truck drivers don’t usually wear spotless uniforms and aren’t a popular hangout spot for those who would otherwise be at the bar if not for prohibition.

Whatever type of ice cream truck you have in mind, though, when you think of a transportable way to get your favorite sweet treat, they all have one thing in common: delicious ice cream!