(Desserted 07/05/25 SA @ 8:30pm): I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream from Mister…read moreSoftee's truck!
In my quest to explore the various cuisine scenes and things to do throughout Jersey City and specifically the Heights, I finally stepped outside my friend's place and caught Mister Softee Ice Cream Truck as it rolled down her street. For the past four years I've visited since my dear friend moved here, the nostalgic and somewhat deranged music that chimed from the truck was like the Pied Piper of Hamelin as he wrangled the rats away from the city (the tale is actually more sinister than that!). Mister Softee was founded by William Conway and James Conway in 1956 in Philadelphia and is one of the largest franchisers of soft ice cream in the United States, with about 350 franchisees operating 625 trucks in 18 states. The headquarters have been in Runnemede, New Jersey since 1958. It is still run by the Conway family, co-owned by cousins Jim Conway Jr. and John Conway. Did I clamor for my frozen softee dessert from this truck as much as I'd expected!?
PURCHASE
Vanilla Sugar Cone ($4.00): My friend opted for this basic soft serve flavor in all of its spiraling swirlness with a proper crunchy sugar cone. It was a smooth, soft, and sweet cold treat. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=9Z69CkPJeQqFSRnjb5LChw
Rum Raisin Waffle Cone ($5.50): One of my favorite flavors from my childhood days rarely found these days along with brandied black cherry and Irish cream (do you see a pattern!?), I was excited when I saw this on the menu. With plenty of raisins soaked in rum while the vanilla ice cream was creamy and dense while the waffle cone held together well. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=YnM879Mk0bYQIv4BzfkV0w
SERVICE
A friendly man greeted both of us as we approached the truck. We took a couple of minutes to read the menus before we placed our orders which were ready in barely a minute each. I paid, and with a thank you from the man, we were off to enjoy our frozen treat - thank you!
PARKING (FREE)
Being a food truck, they were at the beck and call wherever they were at. In this case, the truck drove up and down neighborhood streets all around town (they had a downloadable app to track their location). Because it stopped right in front of my friend's place, we simply stepped outside and then scurried back inside - 'nuff said.
ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE
Your standard self-sufficient catering/food truck with several exterior food menu banners https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=7NoJD2kYFmFeLdf1lO-3Xg along the side https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=jaUoDEVier7UwOdrNJGZLw where you placed/picked-up your order, no area for condiments, napkins, and utensils (they supplied these to alleviate waste) nor a designated seating area as you grabbed and went about your busy. Plenty of natural lighting was prevalent during the daytime while decent electric street and truck lighting glowed at night. There were no TVs while the aforementioned music played in the background. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=S1ZZ9Uw9vhdz75RWlad6zA
ATTIRE
Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops.
OVERALL
I was extremely happy to have finally tried Mister Softee Ice Cream Truck and couldn't wait for my next visit! Both items tasted wonderful, the portions were big, the variety of flavors and types of available treats were plentiful, the prices were very reasonable, and the service was easy and straightforward. And, I always loved supporting small businesses (I still saw this as a small operation) whenever possible. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $10.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=yzYxyvPaIiKPQ9phzX7TGQ of choice...AMEX! 5.0 STARS