A Graeter's ice cream truck rolled through the streets of New York City this fall, making a cameo on Peacock's The Paper Season 2. For a company that got its start with an ice cream cart on the streets of Cincinnati in 1870, sharing screen time in New York City is a pretty long way from home. But an ice cream truck loaded with hand packed, French Pot ice cream is exactly the kind of stubborn charm we're proud to send anywhere people are craving something real.
What is the Graeter's ice cream truck doing on Peacock's The Paper?
The Graeter's ice cream truck showed up on the streets of New York City as part of a scene in The Paper Season 2, streaming now on Peacock. We won't spoil what happens on screen, but watching our truck roll past New York City landmarks was a genuinely proud moment for a family business that has spent 155 years scooping ice cream in Cincinnati. It's proof that a scoop made the French Pot way can turn heads far outside of Ohio.
Cameos like this one don't change how the ice cream inside the truck gets made. Whether it's parked in Cincinnati or making an appearance two states away, everything served still comes from the same 2.5-gallon French Pot batches Graeter's has used since 1870.
What makes an ice cream truck from Graeter's different from other ice cream trucks?
Most ice cream trucks are built for speed: soft serve dispensed fast, sold faster, and forgotten by the next block. The Graeter's ice cream truck carries something different. Every batch inside started in a French Pot freezer, made just 2.5 gallons at a time, the same process the Graeter family has used for generations.
That slower, smaller-batch method means the ice cream is dense, velvety, and richly packed with superior ingredients rather than churned out for volume. Massive chocolate chips, real fruit, and the same hand packing you'd find in a pint at a scoop shop make it into every cup and cone served off the truck. It's a different kind of ice cream truck experience, built around craft instead of shortcuts.
Can you rent an ice cream truck from Graeter's for an event?
Ice cream truck rental has become a popular way to add a little joy to birthdays, graduations, weddings, and neighborhood block parties. Availability varies by market, since not every Graeter's location operates a truck, but many do offer this option for private events and celebrations.
If you're hoping to book an ice cream truck of your own, the fastest way to find out what's possible is to contact your nearest Graeter's scoop shop or catering team directly. Ask about availability, service area, and lead time, since trucks tend to book up quickly around graduation season and summer weekends.
Where did Cincinnati's ice cream truck tradition start?
Cincinnati has a long love affair with ice cream trucks, and Graeter's has been part of that story since Louis Graeter started selling ice cream from a cart on the city's streets in 1870. Four generations later, the family still runs the business, still uses the French Pot process, and still believes the best ice cream truck experience starts with real ingredients rather than shortcuts.
Ice cream trucks have jingled through American neighborhoods for generations, but few of them are still tied to the same family that founded the company more than a century and a half ago. That's the part of the story we're most stubborn about protecting, on a Cincinnati street corner or a New York City film set.
Taste it for yourself
You don't need a truck to pull up outside your window to taste what all the fuss is about. Stop by a Graeter's scoop shop near you, or order online for home delivery, and taste the Graetest for yourself.
FAQ
Can you rent an ice cream truck from Graeter's?
Ice cream truck rental availability depends on the market, since not every Graeter's location offers a truck. The best way to find out what's possible near you is to reach out to your local Graeter's scoop shop or catering contact and ask directly about booking for your event.
How do you get an ice cream truck to come to your neighborhood?
Start by contacting a Graeter's scoop shop near you to ask whether truck service is offered in your area and what the process looks like. Give as much notice as you can, since ice cream trucks are often booked around weekends, graduations, and neighborhood block parties.
Where did the Graeter's ice cream truck make its TV appearance?
The Graeter's ice cream truck appeared on the streets of New York City for a cameo in Peacock's The Paper Season 2. It was a notable moment for a company that started as a small ice cream cart in Cincinnati back in 1870.
What ice cream does the Graeter's truck serve?
Whatever comes out of a Graeter's ice cream truck started in a French Pot freezer, made just 2.5 gallons at a time, the same process used in every Graeter's scoop shop. It's hand packed with the same superior ingredients, not a separate, simplified truck-only recipe.
Ready to taste it for yourself? Order a pint for nationwide shipping or find a scoop shop near you.
