Newport Creamery

What Newport Creamery does

Newport Creamery is a private regional family restaurant chain founded in 1928 in Rhode Island, currently operating 8 dine-in locations across Rhode Island (6) and southern Massachusetts (2). The company serves individual consumers — primarily families, budget-conscious diners, and multi-generational local regulars — offering an affordable diner-style menu of burgers, sandwiches, breakfast items, grilled items, and house-made ice cream. The Middletown, RI flagship sits on the original 1940 Milk Bar site and is the only location with a drive-thru; operating hours run 7am to 9-11pm depending on location.

The core product platform rests on house-made ice cream produced using a proprietary recipe maintained since 1928 with higher butterfat content than commercial alternatives, and the signature Awful Awful milkshake, a registered trademark (acquired from Bond's Ice Cream in 1948 and purchased outright when Bond's closed in the early 1970s) made from house-made ice milk. Burgers and grilled items are cooked on flat-top grills to produce signature crispy edges. The 2026 menu refresh introduced the Newport Smashburger, all-day breakfast, updated seafood, and Snowy Owl Coffee as the new house coffee. Catering is offered through ice cream sundae bars ($75 per package serving 24) and ice cream truck rentals for corporate events and weddings.

Revenue is generated primarily through dine-in and takeout transactions at the 8 owned locations, supplemented by online ordering through togoorder.com, catering, and gift card sales (denominations $10-$200). Pricing is positioned at accessible levels, with customer reviews referencing meals under $15. The company operates as Newport Creamery, LLC and is privately held. In March 2026, the Waterside Group, led by Mark Bogosian (owner of the Flying Bridge restaurant in Falmouth, Cape Cod), acquired the chain from The Jan Companies, which had owned it for approximately 25 years following a 2001 bankruptcy filing. New ownership has initiated a year-long renovation cycle across all eight restaurants and signaled plans for further expansion.

Name

Newport Creamery

Legal name

Newport Creamery, LLC

Website

https://newportcreamery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Newport Creamery is a Rhode Island-based family restaurant chain founded in 1928, operating 8 diner-style locations across Rhode Island and Massachusetts. It serves families and local diners with house-made ice cream, the trademarked Awful Awful milkshake, burgers, and breakfast fare under private ownership since 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurants

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)

akta.pro primary industry

All-Day Dining Restaurants (THAFACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family-Style Restaurants (THAFACAC), Dessert Cafes (Coffee + Desserts) (THAFADAH)

Keywords

• Family restaurant dining
• Ice cream desserts
• Diner comfort food
• Milkshake specialties
• Casual dining restaurants

Headquarters

HQ city

Barrington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-In Restaurant Sales: Revenue from customers dining at one of 8 physical restaurant locations. Customers pay per order for food and beverages consumed on-premises.
2. Takeout and Online Ordering: Revenue from takeout orders placed online via togoorder.com or by phone. Customers pay per order for food prepared for off-premises consumption.
3. Catering Services: Revenue from catering events including ice cream sundae bars ($75 for 24 servings) and ice cream truck rentals for corporate events and weddings.
4. Gift Card Sales: Revenue from gift card purchases in denominations of $10, $25, $50, $100, $150, $200 and custom amounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Newport Creamery operates a chain of 8 family-style diner restaurants across Rhode Island and Massachusetts, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner comfort food alongside house-made ice cream and the trademarked Awful Awful milkshake. The company also offers catering services, gift cards, online ordering for pickup, and a customer rewards program, with the Middletown location serving as flagship and headquarters.

Product overview

Newport Creamery is a single-brand restaurant chain operating 8 locations across Rhode Island and Massachusetts, founded in 1928. The core offering centers on house-made ice cream (produced since 1928) and the signature Awful Awful milkshake, alongside a full diner-style menu including Holy Cow Burger, Big Beef Burgers, breakfast items, grilled cheese, fish and chips, and hot dogs. The product portfolio includes core menu items (Awful Awful, Holy Cow Burger, breakfast offerings), add-on services (Ice Cream Sundae Bar catering, Ice Cream Truck rentals, Gift Cards, Rewards Club loyalty program), and new 2026 additions (Newport Smashburger, Snowy Owl Coffee, all-day breakfast). Online ordering is available through togoorder.com integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Awful Awful Milkshake Signature thick milkshake trademarked since 1948, made with Newport Creamery's house-made ice cream and tagline 'Awful Big, Awful Good'. Available in over a dozen flavors including chocolate, vanilla, coffee, strawberry, peanut butter, mint chocolate chip, cookies and cream, and seasonal specials.
• Holy Cow Burger Signature double-patty burger with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and special sauce on a toasted brioche bun. Cooked on a flat-top grill with fresh, never-frozen beef.
• House-Made Ice Cream Ice cream produced in-house since 1928 with higher butterfat content than commercial products. Used as the base for Awful Awfuls, sundaes, and all dessert items.
• Newport Smashburger New menu item introduced in 2026 — a smashed thin burger cooked on the flat-top grill for crispy-edged, juicy-middle texture.
• Ice Cream Sundae Bar (Catering) Catering package including choice of 4 flavors of ice cream (48-oz containers), fudge or caramel, candy toppings, sprinkles, cones, and cherries. Serves 24 people for $75 plus tax.
• Ice Cream Truck Rental Fully stocked ice cream truck available for corporate events, weddings, and other occasions. Can be customized for DIY ice cream parties.
• Gift Cards Gift cards available in denominations of $10, $25, $50, $100, $150, and $200, plus custom amounts. Balance inquiries can be made by calling 888-529-6578.
• Snowy Owl Coffee House coffee introduced in 2026, sourced from Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters (Cape Cod roaster), including cold brew and a full menu of coffee drinks.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.9 average customer rating across all 8 locations
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Snowy Owl Coffee RoastersminorOthersSnowy Owl Coffee Roasters, a Cape Cod coffee roaster, supplies Newport Creamery's house coffee. This partnership was introduced as part of the 2026 refresh, replacing previous coffee supplier.
• The Jan CompaniesminorOthersThe Jan Companies owned Newport Creamery for approximately 25 years after acquiring the brand in December 2001 when Newport Creamery filed for bankruptcy. They stabilized operations and preserved the classic menu before selling to Waterside Group in 2026.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Shake Shack: National fast-casual chain whose shakes and frozen custard are a notable adjacency to Newport Creamery's Awful Awful. Not a direct competitor given Shake Shack's premium positioning and urban footprint, but useful as a comp on shake-led dessert revenue per location.

Regional players

• Turkey Hill Dairy: Pennsylvania-based regional ice cream and dairy brand with retail distribution and experiential locations. Comparable on heritage ice cream brand and family ownership, though Turkey Hill is significantly larger and more retail-distribution oriented.
• Abbott's Frozen Custard: Rochester, NY-based frozen custard chain with seasonal scoop shops. Comparable on a single-category premium frozen dessert focus and a deep regional following analogous to Newport Creamery's Rhode Island identity.
• Stewart's Shops: Family-owned chain of convenience stores/gas stations in upstate New York and Vermont with a signature house-made ice cream line. Comparable on the combination of house-made ice cream, regional brand devotion, and family-business operating culture, though anchored in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Culver's: Midwest-based fast-casual chain known for ButterBurgers and frozen custard. Comparable as a casual dining operator with a strong frozen dessert signature item and a regional, family-oriented customer base.
• Dairy Queen: National QSR and ice cream chain with thousands of franchised units. Overlaps with Newport Creamery in soft-serve and milkshake offerings and competes for the same value-oriented family customer, but at materially greater scale and with a standardized menu.

Direct peers

• Gifford's Ice Cream: Family-owned New England ice cream producer with scoop shops and retail distribution. Comparable on house-made ice cream heritage, regional loyalty, and small-chain operating model in the Northeast.
• Graeter's: Cincinnati-based regional ice cream chain with scoop shops and a branded retail pint business. Comparable on proprietary small-batch ice cream production, signature signature items, and a multi-generational regional following analogous to Newport Creamery's Awful Awful tradition.
• Friendly's: Founded 1935 in Massachusetts, Friendly's operates a regional chain of family casual dining restaurants with a signature ice cream menu. Closest comparable to Newport Creamery in product mix, customer segment (families, value-conscious diners), and regional New England footprint.
• Carvel: Iconic U.S. ice cream and ice cream cake chain with a long-running franchise model. Comparable as a heritage ice cream brand competing on signature novelty items (e.g., Fudgie the Whale) similar to Newport Creamery's Awful Awful.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/newportcreamery
• Facebookfacebook.com/NewportCreamery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/newport-creamery-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Newport Creamery