Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is adding a limited-time Mermaid Italian Ice to its national menu this summer, the Philadelphia-based chain announced June 15, targeting family-occasion traffic during its highest-volume selling season. The berry-and-marshmallow flavor is finished with a proprietary Unicorn Glitter topping, positioning the item squarely in the whimsical, Instagram-friendly tier of frozen-dessert LTOs that have driven incremental check and social engagement across the segment.
Rita's bills itself as the largest Italian Ice concept in the world, operating hundreds of franchised units concentrated in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic but expanding nationally through area development agreements. The chain's seasonal model — most locations open March through October — makes summer LTO velocity critical to full-year unit economics, as operators must generate sufficient throughput during peak months to offset fixed occupancy costs across an abbreviated operating calendar.
The Mermaid Italian Ice debut comes as the broader frozen-treat segment faces a more competitive daypart landscape. Regional gelato chains, soft-serve specialists, and convenience-store foodservice programs have all accelerated LTO cadences in 2025 and 2026, competing for the family snack occasion that Rita's has historically owned in its core markets. Operators in the Italian Ice and frozen-custard category are increasingly using limited-time flavor innovation to maintain comp-sales momentum without requiring capital-intensive menu overhauls — a strategy well-suited to Rita's asset-light, kiosk-and-inline franchise footprint.
Franchisee support for flavor-driven LTOs in the frozen-dessert category has remained strong, as new builds in the segment carry comparatively low entry costs relative to full-service or fast-casual concepts, and incremental ingredient SKUs for Italian Ice formulations represent minimal supply-chain complexity. Rita's has not disclosed AUV targets or comp-sales guidance tied to the Mermaid launch, but family-focused LTOs with distinctive visual presentation have consistently demonstrated above-average attach rates on social platforms, which functions as earned media for franchisees operating on lean marketing budgets.
The Mermaid Italian Ice is available for a limited time at participating Rita's locations nationwide. Operators and area developers can find program details through the brand's franchisee portal. For broader context on frozen-dessert segment trends and franchise development activity, see our recent coverage of limited-service dessert concepts and franchise development deal flow in the snack daypart.
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 Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
