Cheapest Ice Cream Chains in 2026

10 chains rankedUpdated September 26, 2026

Krispy Kreme is the cheapest ice cream chain we track, with a typical menu price of $3.29 — 84% below The Cheesecake Factory at the other end of the table. Full ranking below, worked out from every priced item on each menu.

Ice Cream Chains Ranked by Price

#	Restaurant	Typical price	Cheapest item
1	Krispy Kreme 20 items priced · average $7.22	$3.29	Original Glazed$2.19
2	Sonic Drive-In 42 items priced · average $4.66	$4.29	$1.99 Snack Menu items$1.99
3	Cook Out 40 items priced · average $5.16	$4.79	Coleslaw$1.99
4	Crumbl Cookies 21 items priced · average $7.94	$4.79	Mini Cookie (single)$1.99
5	Dairy Queen 42 items priced · average $6.86	$5.00	Dilly Bar$2.29
6	Steak 'n Shake 44 items priced · average $5.84	$5.79	Coffee$2.29
7	Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers 44 items priced · average $5.94	$5.99	Coffee$2.29
8	Culver's 42 items priced · average $8.19	$8.29	Fountain Drink (regular)$2.79
9	Portillo's 40 items priced · average $14.10	$9.29	Fries (regular)$3.79
10	The Cheesecake Factory 39 items priced · average $20.79	$19.95	Fountain Soda$4.50

Make Ice Cream & Desserts at Home

Eating Ice Cream & Desserts every week adds up. These are the sauces, mixes and kitchen tools people use to get close to the real thing for a fraction of the menu price.

Ice Cream Maker Custard and soft-serve at home. Check price on Amazon Milkshake Maker Drive-in style shakes in a minute. Check price on Amazon Copycat Restaurant Recipes Cookbooks that recreate chain-restaurant favorites. Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

The Cheapest Ice Cream Options in Detail

1. Krispy Kreme — typical item $3.29

Krispy Kreme prices doughnuts by the dozen, and the dozen is where the value is: an Original Glazed dozen costs about $14.49, or $1.21 a doughnut, against about $2.19 for a single. Assorted and specialty dozens run $3 to $5 more. When the red "Hot Now" light…

The menu runs $2.19 (Original Glazed) to $23.99 (Double Dozen Original Glazed) across 20 priced items, averaging $7.22. Buying a dozen Original Glazed instead of singles cuts the price per doughnut almost in half. See the full Krispy Kreme menu →

2. Sonic Drive-In — typical item $4.29

Sonic is the last major drive-in chain in America: you park in a stall, order from a speaker, and a carhop brings the food out. That format is the brand, and it is why the drink menu — well over a million claimed combinations of sodas, slushes, limeades and…

The menu runs $1.99 ($1.99 Snack Menu items) to $9.29 (SuperSONIC Bacon Double Cheeseburger) across 42 priced items, averaging $4.66. Happy Hour from 2:00 to 4:00 PM every day takes 50 percent off all drinks and slushes — the single biggest recurring discount in fast food. See the full Sonic Drive-In menu →

3. Cook Out — typical item $4.79

Cook Out is a Southeastern drive-thru chain famous for two things: staying open until three or four in the morning, and the Cook Out Tray — a combo that includes an entree, two sides and a drink for a price most chains charge for the sandwich alone. The other…

The menu runs $1.99 (Coleslaw) to $9.99 (Double Burger Plate) across 40 priced items, averaging $5.16. The Cook Out Tray at $7.49 to $8.79 includes an entree, two sides and a drink — the cheapest complete combo of any national or regional chain. See the full Cook Out menu →

4. Crumbl Cookies — typical item $4.79

Crumbl sells one thing — oversized cookies from a menu that rotates every week — and prices it by the box. A single cookie costs about $4.79, a four-pack about $17.49 and a six-pack about $24.99, so the per-cookie price barely falls as the box gets bigger…

The menu runs $1.99 (Mini Cookie (single)) to $45.99 (12-Pack Party Box) across 21 priced items, averaging $7.94. Buying a 4-pack instead of four singles saves about $1.70; the 12-pack Party Box brings the per-cookie price down to about $3.83. See the full Crumbl Cookies menu →

5. Dairy Queen — typical item $5.00

Dairy Queen is two businesses sharing a counter: a soft-serve stand that has been running since 1940 and a competent burger chain bolted on afterwards. The Blizzard is what people queue for, and it is priced to be an impulse buy rather than a dessert course…

The menu runs $2.29 (Dilly Bar) to $34.99 (10" Round Ice Cream Cake) across 42 priced items, averaging $6.86. The $7 Meal Deal includes a mini Blizzard alongside a sandwich, fries and a drink — the Blizzard alone is normally $3.99. See the full Dairy Queen menu →

About these prices: menu prices are set by individual franchise owners and change without notice. The figures on this page are researched estimates for 2026 and are provided for reference only. Confirm the current price with the restaurant before ordering. Menu Price Book is not affiliated with this chain.

Cheapest Ice Cream Chains — FAQ

What is the cheapest ice cream chain in 2026?

Krispy Kreme has the lowest typical menu price of the 10 ice cream chains we track, at $3.29. Its cheapest item is Original Glazed at $2.19.

How much does a ice cream meal cost in 2026?

Across the 10 chains ranked here the typical single item runs from $3.29 to $19.95. Add a side and a drink and a full meal lands roughly $6.91 to $41.90 depending on where you order.

How is this ranking worked out?

Every priced item on each chain's menu is collected, then the chains are ordered by the midpoint of their menu — the median price. A median is used rather than an average so that one expensive family platter does not make an otherwise cheap chain look costly.

Are these prices the same everywhere?

No. Franchise owners set their own prices, so figures move between markets and run highest at airport, stadium and highway locations. The ranking reflects the prices that appear most often across U.S. markets.