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COLD STONE CREAMERY |
MARBLE SLAB CREAMER |
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Outposts in the GTA |
Five |
Ninth coming soon |
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Best-selling signature mix |
Founder's Favourite: Sweet cream ice cream, pecans, brownie, fudge and caramel |
Cookie Dough Drizzle: Birthday-cake ice cream, chocolate-chip cookie dough, Oreo cookies and fudge |
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Family resemblance |
Established in Houston, Tex., in 1983, Marble Slab brings what they call a "chef-driven vision" to the "mixin" method pioneered by Boston-based Steve's Ice Cream |
Founded in 1988 in Tempe, Ariz., on the "ice cream dream" of unique "Creations." Marble Slab officials have since claimed that spinoff founders posed as franchisees before branching off |
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Approximate slab temp |
-25 degrees |
-8 degrees |
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Minor meltdown |
Hit rocky road last year after disgruntled franchisees closed shop due to disappointing sales. The current co-branding initiative with Tim Hortons is part of a new vision of "organic growth" meant to ease growing pains, explains the firm's president, Dan Beem |
Sued Cold Stone in 2001 over franchisee and trademark disputes, resulting in a countersuit and years of sticky litigation |
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Flavour and "mixin" count |
Fourteen flavours, including cake batter, coffee and, seasonally permitting, pumpkin. Thirty-two "mix-ins," including brownies, Snickers and graham-cracker pie crust. |
Twenty-one flavours, including sweet cream, cotton candy and cheesecake. Forty "mixins," including marshmallows, sour cherries and gumballs (multi-task chewing required) |
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Average cost per gummy bear |
11 cents |
6 cents |
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The look |
Timmy's drab earth tones are low on ambience, but digital drop-down menus shift between Tim's and Cold Stone's selections to help quell the double-double counter chaos |
Decked out in candy-coloured pastels, Marble Slab feels like psych-ward-meets-circus-camp, screaming tots and all |
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Most calorie-heavy flavour per 283 g serving |
Nutter Butter ice cream, 785 calories |
Peanut Butter ice cream, 747 calories |
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Entertainment value |
Comes with a song and dance, literally. Staff are auditioned for "X factor," Mr. Beem says. An in-store "entertainment director" keeps line-bound kiddies (and their parents) from throwing "Are we there yet?" tantrums with pop remixes, two-stepping and free samples |
Says Marble Slab Canada president Cam Inglis: "We leave the singing and dancing to our competitors." |
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No-melt flavours |
Butterscotch Velvet and Chocolate-y Goodness (made with Jell-O pudding ice cream). |
No forays into molecular gastronomy as of yet |
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Number of Facebook fans |
190,451 |
31,414 |