The Shirley Temple has quietly become one of the buzziest drinks of the season—a no-proof, cherry-and-citrus throwback riding the same nostalgia wave (and zero-proof momentum) that's reshaping menus everywhere. Now the world's largest Italian Ice concept is turning that trend into a scoop.
Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is freezing the beloved mocktail with the debut of its limited-time Shirley Temple Italian Ice, arriving July 20 at participating locations. Inspired by the iconic drink, the flavor blends sweet cherry and bright citrus into a cool, refreshing treat, topped with shimmering "Shirley Sparkle"—all the fun of a Shirley Temple, minus the bubbles.
Beyond the Scoop: A Full Menu Playbook
Smart limited-time offerings don't live on a single SKU—they thread a hero flavor across the menu to maximize check size and repeat visits. Rita's is doing exactly that, extending the Shirley Temple flavor into three additional formats:
- Shirley Temple Ice Gelati – Layers of Vanilla Frozen Custard and Shirley Temple Italian Ice, finished with Shirley Sparkle.
- Shirley Temple Ice Blender – A frozen beverage blending Shirley Temple Italian Ice into a smooth, icy drink and topped with Shirley Sparkle.
- Shirley Temple Misto® Shake – Creamy Vanilla Frozen Custard blended with Shirley Temple Italian Ice.
One flavor, four ways—the kind of format flexibility that lets a single seasonal investment work across ice, custard, and blended-beverage day-parts.
Why Nostalgia Is Winning at the Counter
Rita's frames the launch squarely around riding a live flavor trend, not just reviving an old favorite.
"At Rita's, we're always looking for new ways to turn today's biggest flavor trends into unforgettable frozen treats," said Carmela Hughley, SVP of Marketing Insights and Innovation at Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard. "The Shirley Temple has captured everyone's attention while remaining a timeless favorite, and we were excited to reimagine its iconic sweet cherry-citrus flavor as an Italian Ice that's perfect for making new summer memories."
The company positions the launch as "just the beginning" of its biggest summer celebration yet, teasing more nostalgic surprises, limited-time experiences, and announcements later in the month.
Why It Matters
For QSR operators, foodservice buyers, and beverage-program managers, Rita's move is a clean case study in three of the most durable trends in the category right now:
- Nostalgia sells. Recognizable, low-risk flavors like the Shirley Temple lower the trial barrier—guests already know if they'll like it—while the "sparkle" and new format supply the novelty that drives social sharing and a reason to visit now.
- Zero-proof is a menu opportunity, not a niche. A cherry-citrus mocktail reimagined as frozen dessert taps the same sober-curious, all-ages demand that's fueling non-alcoholic beverage growth across hospitality.
- LTO discipline builds traffic. A time-boxed launch (beginning July 20) manufactures urgency, and cross-menu extensions turn one R&D bet into multiple upsell paths.
The practical takeaway for operators: identify a culturally resonant flavor with built-in familiarity, deploy it across several formats and price points, and put a clock on it. Pair that with a loyalty hook—Rita's is tying the launch to app rewards, including a free treat for new members—and you have a repeatable summer traffic engine.
The Bigger Picture for Frozen and Beverage Menus
Rita's, which opened in Bensalem, Pa. in 1984 and now operates over 600 shops, makes its signature Italian Ice fresh daily with real fruit, rotating through more than 80 flavors alongside Frozen Custard, Gelati, Concretes, Frozen Coffee, Blendinis®, and Milkshakes. That deep flavor bench is precisely what makes it a useful bellwether: when a legacy frozen concept chases a mocktail trend, it signals where mainstream dessert and beverage demand is heading.
For more on how operators are rethinking beverage programs and functional, better-for-you drinks, see our coverage of how hospitality operators are reengineering beverage programs for scale and the marketing muscle behind buzzy summer beverage launches.
Get In on the Season
The Shirley Temple Italian Ice and its spin-offs are available for a limited time beginning July 20 at participating Rita's locations. Are nostalgia-driven LTOs and zero-proof flavors part of your summer strategy? Drop your take in the comments—and tell us which classic drink you'd freeze next.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
