RITAS

One just opened near my house and my son loves it! Hopefully you can get back there soon. YUMMY!

What(and where)is Ritas?

Totally PN/treenut free Italian Ice. They also have PN/treenut free frozen custard. It is SOOO good. I think it is way better than DQ.

They are in the eastern US.

[url="http://www.ritasice.com"]www.ritasice.com[/url]

Tara P

DARN! None in Georgia, figures.

ON second thought, wonder what it costs to buy into this franchise??

~Eliz

Wow! They are putting some in Northern Virginia, outside of DC. Exactly my neck of the woods! I have never even heard of Rita's before... I will *definitely* be trying it out -- thanks for the heads up!

Anne

They have a tradition on the first day of spring of giving away free ices to every customer! It's coming up next week! (which is hard to believe with this massive storm we're getting today) I'm going!

Quote:Originally posted by ajas_folks:
[b]ON second thought, wonder what it costs to buy into this franchise??

~Eliz[/b]

Think we could talk the DHs into a slight career adjustment??? Or perhaps we could just offer to support them in the manner to which they've become accustomed...?

DH has been encouraging me to get out more!

[img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/wink.gif[/img]

Sue

DH? ME!!

This place looks wonderful. We'll be moving at some point--good to have this info to figure into things. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

It is so cute that you posted this. 6 year old DD reminded me a few days ago that when we went last fall, (the last day before closing), that they were going to open again in March. And that it was March. So we need to plan a day to go. Getting a few inches of snow and waiting for baby to come...but definitely worth the attempt!!
It is so nice to have something so safe!!!

I had never heard of Ritas before, and it looks like they are opening one right down the road from me!!! SO excited to be able to out and get ice cream. It even looks like the ices are safe for DD who is dairy and egg allergic. YAHOOO!!

(small miracles, huh?)

we have one close by. My kids love it

Don't forget those who have Rita's it is free icee day for the first day of spring!!!

Quote:Originally posted by ACP:
[b]Wow! They are putting some in Northern Virginia, outside of DC. Exactly my neck of the woods! I have never even heard of Rita's before... I will *definitely* be trying it out -- thanks for the heads up!

Anne[/b]

I live in Ashburn and they're opening a Rita's in Ashburn Farm. We're pretty excited about it; though I wish we'd gotten a Rita's in our center in Brambleton rather than a Cold Stone Creamery.

Oooh...I'm So excited!! Our usual Rita's is closed for renovations, discovered we have one in our local mall, that's opened year round, and I never knew!!

YUM, we got our free ices today! 2 of my kids got a chocolate ice, one got tropical punch and I got strawberry kiwi...I had a nibble of all of them...YUM!!!!

Our Rita's has several new menu items and toppings. This is the response I got. The toppings that are nut free are the hot fudge and caramel sauce.

Hi Julie,

The blendini is a mix of ice, custard and either Nilla wafer cookie pieces or Oreo pieces. Our ice and custard are nut free. I am awaiting confirmation that the cookies are manufactured in a nut free environment. I am waiting for the same concerning the sprinkles. The toppings are confirmed nut free!

Thank you,

Gina Ricci

Operation Service Coordinator

[email]g.ricci@ritascorp.com[/email]

215-645-0164

Rita's Water Ice Franchise Company, LLC.

1525 Ford Road

Bensalem, PA 19020

[url="http://www.ritasice.com"]www.ritasice.com[/url]

I was wondering the same thing you asked! Please post your response. They were very good at getting back to me when I had a question last Fall. I saw the Rita's custard pops in the grocery store and those turned out (At least at that time- should be reverified if anyone wants to try) to be safe also. Thanks!

Quote: [b]
Originally posted by ajas_folks:
ON second thought, wonder what it costs to buy into this franchise??
~Eliza[/b]

Quote:Originally posted by M'smom:
[b] Think we could talk the DHs into a slight career adjustment??? Or perhaps we could just offer to support them in the manner to which they've become accustomed...?

DH has been encouraging me to get out more!

Sue [/b]

Well, think they would allow one of these to have building designed so that it had WINGS??! (Probably only way I could get my DH to consider this currently.) [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/biggrin.gif[/img]

I did go look at their website to read about franchise info -- if I recall correctly, the $$ amount they listed for initial cost to start up was in excess of $150,000. OOoooooch.

But I really AM interested in a franchise of some kind down the road (hopefully not too far) as many franchises have reduced costs offered to military. And I look forward to my DH's eventual job change. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/biggrin.gif[/img]

Something to think about and wish for . . . a Ritas next to an In-and-Out with a windowseat view of my favorite Sierra Nevada mountains.

~Elizabeth

Elizabeth ~

Just sent you an email. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

Sue

Quote:Originally posted by M'smom:
[b]Elizabeth ~

Just sent you an email. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

Sue[/b]

OK -- Ritas with winglets and rocket boosters? Would that work?? [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/biggrin.gif[/img]

~Eliz

Bump

There is a Rita's near us in East Meadow, NY. I went on the website and there are 2 near us I think the other one is in Bellmore. We will give it a try. I'm excited.

Quote:Originally posted by momll70:
[b]There is a Rita's near us in East Meadow, NY. I went on the website and there are 2 near us I think the other one is in Bellmore. We will give it a try. I'm excited. [/b]

I don't know if it's still there, but there's also one in West Hempstead. Yeah, Rita's [i]rocks[/i].

Amy

Try a Blendini. They are awesome!

We got Rita's ices for the first time yesterday and it was good. DS was so excited - and so was I. We got chocolate, cherry and lemon. I'm glad we have a new safe place to go to.

One just opened up need us, 20 minutes away, we have gone there like 5 times since they opened!! Great Place!

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[url="http://www.firstgiving.com/peanutallergy"]http://www.firstgiving.com/peanutallergy[/url]

We ended the summer (schools open here tomorrow) with a trip to the newly opened Rita's near us. Thanks to all of you for cluing me in about this place -- it was awesome! We got Italian Ices (2 for 1 on Mondays; what a deal!), which were delicious, & my PA child got a Blendini, which she loved. They even gave sample sized vanilla custard w/ a dog bone in it to our dog who was waiting outside. (They had dog water bowls by the door... dunno if that is specific to this Rita's or if all of them do that.)

Anne

Quote:Originally posted by VariegatedRB:
[b]RITA'S IS OPEN FOR THE SEASON!
[/b]

Are they every actually [b]closed[/b] during the fall and winter? We now live a few hours from one, and we may make a trip for the experience at some point.

It depends- some stay open all year. The ones I have been visiting close in October and open in March. One that we visited in a nearby town that has indoor space said they might stay open this year. Last summer was their first year and business was slow... this summer, they have been busier. I'm going to have to stop there next time I am out that way and see what their plans are!

Tara P

The one closest to to us is in a mall, so they stay open all year. The one near MIL just has a walk-up window, so they are seasonal.

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[url="http://www.the3day.org/boston07/deedaigle"]http://www.the3day.org/boston07/deedaigle[/url]

The Rita's in our area NY/NJ used to have a pistacio flavored ice? Does anyone know if they still make that flavor. We were at the Palisades Mall in NY a few weeks ago and I was so excited to see Rita's. I asked about the pistacio ice and he said they were out. I wasn't comfortable ordering anything that may have come in contact with the pistacio flavor (I didn't know when they had it last). They were young kids so I didn't even bother trying to explain. I'd love to get DD Rita's, I just have to be sure. Any suggestions?

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Cindy
Mom to:
Stephanie (13)
Jessica PA/TNA (11)

According to an old thread, Rita's pistachio was artifically flavored and had no nut ingredients.

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[url="http://www.the3day.org/boston07/deedaigle"]http://www.the3day.org/boston07/deedaigle[/url]

It looks like Rita's now has cross-contamination warnings for all the toppings and a handful of flavors - are people still comfortable eating there?

BAD Bad news. I heard that Ritas Ice (www.ritasice.com) has a test Store that is using Reeses Pieces and Peanut butter cups as toppings. This is direct potential Peanut contamination interaction that I will immediately have to ban Ritas for my child. Unless I get the huge email campaign to convince them to stay Peanut/nut safe. So please be careful.

I haven't heard of Rita's Ice. I guess we won't be trying them. It's too bad they had to change from being peanut free.

Ritas??? Never heard of it before but now I'm certainly excited!!! =)

Ritas is everywhere where I live, but so far the allergy info on there site seems fine, its the same as 2 yrs ago.

New this year: Rita's is using peanut butter candies and making chocolate peanut butter ice. no longer safe for those w/ pb allergies. high chance of cross-contamination. it's on their web site under nutritional FAQ

VERRRRRY IMPORTANT: Rita's is now forcing all franchises to serve a peanut butter italian ice as of April 2011. Sorry. We used to love going there.
call rita's and voice your concerns!!

I have never heard of RITAS before, but I am so happy for all of you! you guys all sound so excited, it's gonna be so wonderful being able to bring my daughter to a peanut free ice cream store!!!

DON"T GO TO RITAS!!!!! THEY NOW HAVE PEANUT ITALIAN ICE Call Ritas cust service to voice your concerns 800-677-7482

This is so sad :(

I am in Cali. and it seems that all awesome things (excluding sunny beaches and Hollywood sensations) are in the eastern US. Even my favorite longboard skateboard company is based there. And most of the innovative peanut free stores and restaurants are seemingly only located in the east. Darn the bad luck.