Ice Cream Truck Wars

The competition for ice cream truck profits is heating up in New York. Hopefully it's not so heated that it melts all the ice cream. That doesn't help anyone.

The New York Times today reports on a growing rivalry between a Mister Softee driver and a Good Humor driver vying for the same turf on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

Apparently a 52-year-old Mr. Martinez, restored a vintage 1960s-era Good Humor ice cream truck, and took to the street wearing one of those old-school uniforms equipped with bowtie, driver's cap, and the necessary 1970s mustache. He is quoted in the article saying:

“This is open turf,” while yanking the bell on his truck.

Martinez then has the nerve to pull up right behind the sitting minister of ice cream sales on that block, the Mister Softee man. The competition is on!

Throughout the day, the new-school Softee and the throwback Good Humor compete for sales outside a local elementary school. Old people like the vintage Good Humor truck and the guy in the uniform selling it. But most of the young punks and school kids head right for their tried and true Mister Softee because that's all they know.

Despite Martinez undercutting his competition by selling Good Humor bars direct at a discounted price of $1.50 to Mister Softee's $2 for a Chipwich, old-school ultimately loses out. The Mister Softee guy does much more business that afternoon. Maybe it was the mustache and uniform that made him look like a member of the Village People that spelled Mr. Martinez's downfall that day?

Nonetheless, in a rage-filled, never-say-die act of dedication, Martinez vowed to get to that battleground earlier the next day to wage war again.

Who knew ice cream sales were this cutthroat? I mean, I've gotten into some fisticuffs while trying to order some ice cream, pushing little kids out of the way and throwing a few elbows, but that's nothing compared to this extremely alarming factoid that emerges from the NY Times article:

There have been harsh words, hurt feelings and even bloodshed between competitors. In 2004, a couple in their 60s who owned and operated two ice cream trucks were ambushed in the Bronx and beaten with an oversized wrench. The motive, the police said, was the couple’s ice cream route. A rival ice cream salesman was charged with assault and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Mr. Martinez better watch his back and hope that the ice cream mafia don't start knocking on his door with that oversized wrench.

Hit up the comments section with your shocked or not-shocked reactions to the sad state of affairs the ice cream truck business has devolved into.


NY Times: It's Still Spring but the Ice Cream Truck War Revs Up, May 14, 2008