The Original Rainbow Cone
The Original Rainbow Cone is a century-old, family-owned Chicago ice cream retailer founded in 1926, selling a proprietary five-flavor sliced cone plus mini donuts and ice cream cakes through nearly 30 franchised and company-owned shops, mobile catering trucks, online ordering, and nationwide Goldbelly shipping.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1926
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Original Rainbow Cone does
The Original Rainbow Cone is a privately held, family-owned ice cream retailer founded in 1926 by Joe and Katherine Sapp on Chicago's South Side. Its core product is a signature five-flavor ice cream cone (Chocolate, Strawberry, Palmer House with New York Vanilla and cherries, Pistachio Almond, and Orange Sherbet) prepared using a proprietary slicing method rather than traditional scooping, a technique unchanged for a century. The product portfolio extends to Mini Donuts made to order, layered ice cream cakes, and milkshakes, supported by an in-house loyalty program (Rainbow Rewards) and customer feedback tooling through Tattle.
The company operates a hybrid distribution model comprising nearly 30 permanent storefronts across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, California, Florida, and Arizona, a mobile ice cream truck fleet serving events across multiple states, full-service catering (Ice Cream Truck, Ice Cream Social, Donut Station), and a Goldbelly partnership for nationwide shipping. Revenue is generated through per-unit retail pricing (including a $5 happy-hour tier), per-person catering contracts with minimum guest-count thresholds, festival vending with $1,500 minimum sales requirements, franchise fees and royalties, and a Benefit Night fundraising program that returns 20% of event sales to qualifying nonprofits.
The brand's go-to-market blends product-led growth around the iconic cone with event-driven experiential marketing, including a 100th-anniversary collaboration with Museum of Ice Cream Chicago and a season-long partnership with the Chicago White Sox. Customer acquisition spans individual walk-in retail, event planners, nonprofit fundraising organizers, sports fans, and prospective franchisees, with marketing executed through Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok plus earned media around heritage storytelling.
The Original Rainbow Cone firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Original Rainbow Cone
- Legal name
- The Original Rainbow Cone
- Website
- https://rainbowcone.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1926
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Original Rainbow Cone is a century-old, family-owned Chicago ice cream retailer founded in 1926, selling a proprietary five-flavor sliced cone plus mini donuts and ice cream cakes through nearly 30 franchised and company-owned shops, mobile catering trucks, online ordering, and nationwide Goldbelly shipping.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Original Rainbow Cone industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Ice Cream
- NAICS
- Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152), Specialty Food Retailers (4452)
- SIC
- Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024), Dairy Products (2020)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ice Cream & Gelato Shops (THAFAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing (AFAKAKAE), Ice Cream & Refrigerated Desserts (CRADACAE), Ice Cream Cakes & Frozen Dessert Bakery Manufacturing (AFAHAEAH)
Keywords
Where The Original Rainbow Cone is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices27 records
Markets served
The Original Rainbow Cone business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Ice Cream Sales: Revenue from walk-in customers purchasing ice cream cones, cups, sundaes, and other frozen desserts at company-owned storefront locations across the Midwest, California, Florida, and Michigan.
- Ice Cream Truck and Catering Services: Revenue from mobile ice cream truck bookings and event catering services including weddings, corporate parties, birthdays, and festivals. Services include Ice Cream Truck (100 person minimum), Ice Cream Social, and Donut Station (200 person minimum) with per-person pricing or individual sales at festivals.
- Online Ordering and Delivery: Revenue from online orders placed through the website for in-store pickup or delivery, and nationwide shipping through the Goldbelly marketplace partnership.
- Rainbow Rewards Loyalty Program: Points-based loyalty program driving repeat purchases through in-shop and online transactions, with rewards redemption and member-exclusive promotions.
- Franchise Fees and Royalty Income: Revenue from franchise expansion, with new franchise locations contributing upfront fees and ongoing royalty payments as the brand grows to nearly 30 permanent locations.
- Benefit Night Fundraising: Nonprofit fundraising program where organizations receive 20% back of event sales, generating revenue through per-person pricing at participating brick-and-mortar locations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | $5 Happy Hour - Small Rainbow Cones, Small Sliced Creations, Double Classic Scoops, and Regular Size Milkshakes |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free cones for Chicago White Sox fans when team scores in fourth inning |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | $5 Rainbow Cones at Museum of Ice Cream activation |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Catering - Per-person pricing for private events |
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Pay-as-you-go | Festival minimum sales requirement - $1,500 |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels9 records
The Original Rainbow Cone product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Original Rainbow Cone manufactures and sells a signature five-flavor ice cream cone — Chocolate, Strawberry, Palmer House, Pistachio Almond, and Orange Sherbet — that is sliced (not scooped) into cones and cups. The company operates nearly 30 retail shops across the U.S., operates a mobile ice cream truck fleet for events, and ships nationwide via Goldbelly, while also offering catering, party packs, donuts, ice cream cakes, and milkshakes.
Product overview
The Original Rainbow Cone is a century-old Chicago ice cream brand offering a signature five-flavor ice cream cone (Chocolate, Strawberry, Palmer House, Pistachio, and Orange Sherbet) along with complementary products including mini donuts, ice cream cakes, and milkshakes. The company operates through physical retail locations, an ice cream truck fleet, and catering services. Supporting infrastructure includes a loyalty program (Rainbow Rewards), online ordering, nationwide shipping via Goldbelly, and fundraising programs (Benefit Night). The product portfolio centers on the flagship Rainbow Cone, with add-on products and services designed to support retail, events, and catering operations across nearly 30 permanent locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Original Rainbow Cone Signature five-flavor ice cream cone combining Chocolate, Strawberry, Palmer House (New York Vanilla with cherries), Pistachio Almond, and Orange Sherbet, sliced rather than scooped and served in a cone or cup. Targeted at individual consumers and families seeking a heritage Chicago dessert experience.
- Mini Donuts
- Ice Cream Cakes Custom ice cream cakes available for in-store purchase and nationwide shipping, targeted at consumers celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions.
- Milkshakes Handcrafted milkshakes in standard and specialty flavors, sold at retail locations for individual consumer purchase.
- Ice Cream Truck Service Bookable mobile ice cream truck service that brings the Original Rainbow Cone experience directly to private parties, corporate events, weddings, school functions, and festivals across multiple U.S. states. Targeted at event organizers seeking a turnkey, memorable dessert and entertainment offering.
- Donut Station Catering On-site catering service providing freshly made warm mini donuts at private and corporate events. Targeted at event organizers seeking an interactive dessert experience.
- Party Packs Pre-packaged ice cream party bundles available via online ordering, designed for hosts serving groups at home or at small events.
- Benefit Night Fundraising Program Designated fundraising events held at Original Rainbow Cone retail locations, where a portion of evening sales is donated to a partnering nonprofit, school, or community organization. Targeted at nonprofits, schools, sports teams, and community groups seeking an easy-to-execute fundraising mechanism.
- Rainbow Super Sundae Limited-time celebratory sundae introduced as part of the brand's 100th anniversary celebration in 2026, available at participating Original Rainbow Cone retail locations.
- Rainbow Split Limited-time celebratory banana split-style dessert introduced as part of the brand's 100th anniversary celebration in 2026, available at participating Original Rainbow Cone retail locations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100-year anniversary celebration with citywide activations driving significant brand awareness
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Original Rainbow Cone
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Original Rainbow Cone technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
The Original Rainbow Cone partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Museum of Ice Cream ChicagoflagshipMulti-week collaboration (July 18-August 3, 2026) featuring an immersive exhibition at Museum of Ice Cream Chicago (435 N Michigan Ave), plus a Michigan Avenue public activation during the brand's 100th anniversary celebration. Rainbow Cone takes center stage bringing its 100-year story to one of the city's most immersive cultural destinations. The Rainbow Truck serves $5 Rainbow Cones and the museum brings its legendary sprinkle pool to Michigan Avenue.
- Chicago White SoxcoreSeason-long partnership offering Chicago White Sox fans free Rainbow Cones when the team scores in the fourth inning. This partnership celebrates the brand's Chicago roots and engages sports fans during the centennial summer celebration.
- GoldbellycoreNationwide shipping partnership enabling customers to order Rainbow Cone products for delivery anywhere in the United States through the Goldbelly marketplace platform.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights2 records
The Original Rainbow Cone competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Dairy Queen: Dairy Queen is a broad-incumbent QSR and treats chain with thousands of franchised locations offering soft-serve and hard-pack ice cream. It is comparable to Rainbow Cone as a nationally distributed ice cream brand with a franchise model, though it serves a more mass-market, lower-price-point segment.
- Baskin-Robbins: Baskin-Robbins is the largest specialty ice cream and cake franchise chain in the United States with thousands of locations. It is comparable to Rainbow Cone as a multi-flavor ice cream retail concept with franchise-driven expansion, though it operates at vastly greater scale and with a more standardized, mass-market positioning.
- Häagen-Dazs Shops: Häagen-Dazs operates branded scoop shops and cafés alongside its dominant grocery presence. It is comparable to Rainbow Cone as a premium-positioned ice cream brand with a specialty retail footprint, though it competes at a much larger scale and relies on broader grocery distribution.
Emerging players
- Ample Hills Creamery: Ample Hills is a craft ice cream brand with scoop shops primarily in the Northeast and nationwide shipping. It is comparable to Rainbow Cone as a premium, story-driven specialty ice cream retailer that has scaled from a single location to a multi-unit operation with broad distribution.
Direct peers
- Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams: Jeni's is a premium, chef-driven ice cream brand with both company-owned scoop shops and nationwide shipping via Goldbelly. It is directly comparable to Rainbow Cone as a premium specialty ice cream retailer combining physical retail, signature flavors, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce via the same Goldbelly platform.
- Graeter's Ice Cream: Graeter's is a 150-year-old, family-owned premium ice cream maker with its own retail scoop shops, franchise locations, and nationwide shipping. It is directly comparable to Rainbow Cone as a heritage, family-owned premium ice cream brand combining manufacturing, retail, and direct shipping.
- Cold Stone Creamery: Cold Stone Creamery is a franchise-based ice cream shop chain specializing in premium, customized ice cream creations mixed on a frozen stone. It is directly comparable to Rainbow Cone as a franchised specialty ice cream retailer targeting experiential, premium dessert occasions with a signature preparation method.
- Salt & Straw: Salt & Straw is a craft ice cream brand with scoop shops primarily on the West Coast plus nationwide shipping. It is directly comparable to Rainbow Cone as a premium, heritage-storytelling ice cream concept that has scaled from a single-origin story to a multi-state specialty chain, with strong brand narrative and franchise-style expansion.
- Marble Slab Creamery: Marble Slab Creamery is a franchise-based premium ice cream shop chain that emphasizes mix-in customization on a frozen slab, similar to Cold Stone. It is directly comparable to Rainbow Cone as a small-footprint, specialty ice cream franchise with experiential preparation methods.
Regional players
- Mitchell's Ice Cream: Mitchell's is a 70-year-old, family-owned premium ice cream brand based in the San Francisco Bay Area with multiple scoop shops across Northern and Southern California. It is comparable to Rainbow Cone as a multi-generational, family-owned heritage ice cream retailer with regional dominance and a strong in-store experience focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Original Rainbow Cone social profiles
Digital presenceThe Original Rainbow Cone financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Original Rainbow Cone leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Original Rainbow Cone funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Original Rainbow Cone M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Original Rainbow Cone
What does The Original Rainbow Cone do?
The Original Rainbow Cone manufactures and sells a signature five-flavor ice cream cone — Chocolate, Strawberry, Palmer House, Pistachio Almond, and Orange Sherbet — that is sliced (not scooped) into cones and cups. The company operates nearly 30 retail shops across the U.S., operates a mobile ice cream truck fleet for events, and ships nationwide via Goldbelly, while also offering catering, party packs, donuts, ice cream cakes, and milkshakes.
Is The Original Rainbow Cone a public or private company?
The Original Rainbow Cone is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Original Rainbow Cone founded?
The Original Rainbow Cone was founded in 1926. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Original Rainbow Cone based?
The Original Rainbow Cone is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Original Rainbow Cone make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Retail Ice Cream Sales are the primary driver. The others are ice Cream Truck and Catering Services, online Ordering and Delivery, rainbow Rewards Loyalty Program, franchise Fees and Royalty Income and benefit Night Fundraising.
Who are The Original Rainbow Cone's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Dairy Queen, Baskin-Robbins and Häagen-Dazs Shops. Ample Hills Creamery is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, Graeter's Ice Cream, Cold Stone Creamery, Salt & Straw and Marble Slab Creamery. Mitchell's Ice Cream is listed as a regional player.
Does The Original Rainbow Cone have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Original Rainbow Cone.
What industry is The Original Rainbow Cone in?
The Original Rainbow Cone's product category is Specialty Ice Cream. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAGAA, Ice Cream & Gelato Shops, with a secondary code of AFAKAKAE, Ice Cream, Frozen Desserts & Novelties Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 311520 and its SIC code is 2024.