When Dandy Don's Homemade Ice Cream contacted us asking if we would like to taste test their "Ice Cream Social in a Box," Two Dips Ice Cream Tasters replied, "Most certainly!" We didn't really know what we were getting ourselves into so we did a little research at the Dandy Don's Homemade Ice Cream web site where we found out that we were going to get enough ice cream, toppings and accessories to pull off a party for 25 people!Usually, announcing a Two Dips ice cream tasting brings our friends out of the woodwork, but we wanted this to be a real experiment. So, we contacted a nearby office staff and asked if we could share our ice cream social with them. What do you know? Involuntary smiles came across their faces (this is why we love our jobs) and we scheduled the delivery from Dandy Don's Homemade Ice Cream for a Tuesday in July.
We received two boxes -- on time flown from Los Angeles to the East Coast -- filled with homemade ice cream in three flavors -- vanilla bean, chocolate and cappuccino crunch -- and all the fixins. The ice cream was intact and still solid. Each fist-sized scoop of ice cream was individually packaged in a paper cup with a lid and the cup was big enough to load on the toppings and not overflow. This was great because you know that the designated scooper usually gets sticky, ice-creamy hands by the end of the doling. Not this time!
Included in the boxes were:
- 25 servings of ice cream, pre-packaged individually in paper bowls with lids
- spoons
- napkins
- a plastic table cloth
- a cup to hold the spoons
- paper soda jerk hats for everyone
- caramel topping
- chocolate topping
- maraschino cherries
- shots (jimmies/sprinkles)
- cookie crumbles (chocolate)
- peanut bits
- almond bits
- ice cream cone bits
- M&Ms
Dandy Don's Homemade Ice Cream certainly thought of everything. The only thing we could have wished for beyond the supplied condiments was whipped cream, but you can't please all of the people all of the time. The setup, party and clean-up was all self-contained; there was barely any fuss at all. We didn't need anything else other than a trashcan to throw it all in at the end. We even brought home the extra toppings (yes, there was extra topping).How much is this no-fuss party? This self-contained treat costs $149.00 plus shipping and CA tax. While it may seem expensive, it equals out to about $8.00/serving. Not bad for a special treat or a nice thank you for a job well done.
And what did the party participants think? We took a poll in the office and here are some of the things the staff had to say:
My first impression was that this was very cool... how much does it cost? I was very impressed with all of the items that came with it especially the hats and the plastic table cloth. The ice cream was very good and there was a good array of toppings to accompany it. However, there were a few items missing that would have completed this "ice cream social in a box". Whipped Cream is a must when talking about sundaes and a small package of balloons would have made the party complete. Could you buy all of this stuff cheaper? Probably, but there is something about opening a package at your office and getting pleasantly surprised. It is far quicker than actually going to the store and is a nice gift for a friend or co-worker. I wouldn't recommend it for the parent trying to plan their child's next birthday party, but I also don't think that is the intent. I feel this is meant to be sent to an office environment to brighten ones day. My overall opinion would be 4 out of 5 stars.
I had the vanilla ice cream. It wasn't the best vanilla ice cream I've ever had but the toppings made up for it. I had both the caramel and chocolate toppings; both delicious. I had the Oreo and granola toppings; both very tasty. 2.5 spoons on the ice cream, 4 spoons on the toppings!
The ice cream was still nice and cold -- I hate mushy ice cream. The packaging was classic and would blend with any decor (if someone was decorating and going all out for a party, it wouldn't clash). They did a great job of including everything you would need for an ice cream social -- I especially loved the hats.
Overall I really enjoyed the presentation of the ice cream social in a box. There were tons of great toppings, the ice cream was already scooped and ready to go, the hats add a fun touch, and the cappuccino ice cream was awesome! I would like to see whipped cream and some more fruit options in the toppings.
The ice cream party was great. I want to specifically mention the Cappuccino Crunch flavor. It was one of the best-flavored Cappuccino ice creams I have ever had, and with some caramel topping, it was amazing. All the toppings seemed to be of high quality, though some whipped cream would have been a bonus. For kids, some themed hats choices might better fit an overall party motif, but the "soda jerk" hats certainly provided amusement for the adults. During shipping, one of the ice cream cups opened spreading some chocolate around, but as it stayed frozen, this didn't make too much of a mess. In the end it comes down to the flavor of the ice cream, and on that front, I am totally satisfied.