5 National Ice Cream Day Deals Worth Scooping Up

Staying cool is on everyone's mind in July, and one tasty way to accomplish that is by relishing the official dessert of the month. Back in 1984, then-President Ronald Reagan signed off on honoring arguably the best frozen confection to beat the summer heat in existence with two special designations recognizing its greatness. He dubbed July as National Ice Cream Month and marked the third Sunday of July as National Ice Cream Day. This year, that day falls on July 19, and there are a few ice cream haunts out there that want to help people celebrate the big day with exceptional deals on their favorite creamy treat.

There may or may not be bargains on Ben & Jerry's or Häagen-Dazs ice cream flavors in grocery stores, but discounts and freebies definitely await folks who visit select frozen dessert chains on or around July 19. Whether you're a fan of ice cream bars or crunchy cones is more your style, there's something special in store at top-notch ice cream shops near you. Here are five chains running limited-time promotions for customers on National Ice Cream Day starting off with the franchise born from a science experiment gone right, Dippin' Dots.

This July, Dippin' Dots is celebrating National Ice Cream Day in multiple ways. Customers who order its beaded ice cream online on July 19 can enter promo code nicd26 to get 25% off their order. 25% not enough? Enter the Dippin' Dots sweepstakes from July 9 to 19 at no cost for a chance to win free ice cream and swag for an entire year. On the big day, participating locations will be giving away mini cups of Dippin' Dots in any flavor you choose free of charge during a two-hour window specified by each local store.

Fortunately, Friendly's pulled itself out of restaurant ruin years back so that fans can celebrate both National Ice Cream Day and the company's 91st anniversary with the chain this month. On July 19, customers can snag a complimentary ice cream cone or dish at participating locations of the historic franchise for carry-out or dine-in. Best of all, while some other ice cream joints on this list require folks to sign up for their rewards program to secure their freebies, Friendly's is handing out free ice cream just for stepping through its doors.

Known for applying its unique frozen slab method to produce creamy goodness since 1983, Marble Slab Creamery is commemorating National Ice Cream Day with a giveaway. On July 19, all rewards members will be treated to a free small ice cream. Folks who aren't already signed up can easily become a Slab Happy loyalty member on Marble Slab's website by entering some basic information to obtain their complimentary dessert.

Okay, so Dairy Queen's soft serve isn't technically ice cream, but that isn't stopping the chain from honoring National Ice Cream Day. It started the party early this year on July 13 by giving away a free Dilly Bar to DQ Rewards members who purchase at least $1 of Dairy Queen's fare through the company's app. The giveaway continues through July 19, and folks who aren't already members can sign up through the DQ app. It can take up to 24 hours for the deal to show up once you've joined, so act fast to secure your freebie.

Graeter's may not have an immense national footprint, but if you've got one in your neck of the woods now is the time to stop by for an exclusive deal. Celebrating 156 years in business in tandem with National Ice Cream Day, Graeter's is offering customers Single-Dip Sugar Cones for the pertinent price of $1.56 from July 17 to 19. If you've never sampled the company's thick, rich ice cream created through a traditional, labor-intensive French Pot process, there's no better time to experience the sweet, creamy bliss than now.