We've got some news worth pulling up a spoon for: Graeter's has been nominated for Newsweek's 2026 Readers' Choice™ Award for Best Ice Cream Chain. Voting opens at noon today, and we'd be lying if we said we weren't a little giddy about it.
This isn't a trophy we're chasing for the shelf. It's a chance for real ice cream lovers — the ones who've grown up on our black raspberry chip, the ones who know exactly how many chocolate chips should be in a single bite (a lot), to say so out loud.
Why a Newsweek Readers' Choice nomination means something to us
We've spent 155 years doing things the hard way on purpose. Every batch of Graeter's ice cream is still made just 2.5 gallons at a time in a French Pot freezer, a process most of the industry abandoned decades ago because it's slow and stubborn and doesn't scale the "easy" way. We kept it anyway.
A nomination like this isn't handed out for marketing budgets or flashy campaigns. It comes from people — actual readers, actual scoop-shop regulars, who took a moment to say a family-owned ice cream company from Cincinnati deserves a seat at the table with the big chains. That's the kind of recognition that means something.
How to vote for Graeter's ice cream
Voting for the 2026 Newsweek Readers' Choice Awards is open now. Here's what you can do:
- Head to Newsweek's Readers' Choice voting page
- Cast your vote for Graeter's — every ballot counts.
- Share it with the fellow ice cream lover in your life who's been quoting our black raspberry chip since childhood. (You know the one.)
It takes less time than waiting in line for a scoop on a summer Saturday and trust us, we know that wait is real.
155 years of stubborn quality, one vote at a time
Since 1870, Graeter's has been family-owned and family-run, which means every decision — from the French Pot process to the size of our chocolate chips — has been made by people who genuinely love ice cream, not a boardroom chasing the next trend. That's why we still hand pack every pint with joy instead of a machine.
A nomination like this is proof that the slow way, the hard way, the way that doesn't cut corners, still resonates with people. For those who know, quality was never up for debate. Now it's just nice to see it recognized on a bigger stage.
A little joy to celebrate along the way
Whatever the final tally looks like, we're already winning in the way that matters most: another excuse to celebrate with ice cream. So while the votes roll in, consider making your own little celebration at home.
Stop by a Graeter's scoop shop to pick your favorite pint, or order online for delivery and have a taste of 155 years of craft show up at your door. Either way, you'll understand exactly why we think this nomination is well deserved — no bragging required, just a spoon and some superior ingredients doing the talking.
Thank you for voting, for scooping, and for being part of the Graeter's family for generations. We're stubborn, we're proud, and today, we're voting too.
Ready to taste it for yourself? Order a pint for home delivery or find a scoop shop near you.
