News

Survey: Vanilla, chocolate still top ice cream preferences

July 14, 2011

While some ice cream purveyors may be getting fancy with their flavor profiles, it seems consumers still prefer the classics. A Rasmussen Report released Thursday found that 23 percent of Americans prefer vanilla ice cream, and another 23 percent prefer chocolate.

Nine percent chose butter pecan as their favorite, while strawberry and cookies and cream each earned 8 percent of the vote. Six percent prefer mint chocolate chip, and another 4 percent most enjoy coffee flavored ice cream.

That's not to say innovation should be abandoned all together. Seventeen percent prefer flavors not outlined in the survey.

Although vanilla and chocolate were neck and neck in the flavor preference category, vanilla edged out chocolate for frequency. Adults who eat ice cream more than once a week chose vanilla over chocolate, 28 percent to 22 percent.

Most ice cream eaters (78 percent) usually buy the item at the store and eat it at home. Seventeen percent (17 percent) prefer going to an ice cream parlor.

The national survey of 800 adults who eat ice cream was conducted July 7-8 by Rasmussen Reports.