The Scoop

Cassidy Smith, Journalist

    With the weather getting warmer and people are looking for a way to go outside, getting ice cream is a go-to; however, the question is: Dairy Queen or White Farms? Being in Ipswich, both ice cream shops are conveniently close by; still, they have many differences. One of the prominent distinctions that could make or break a visit is hard-serve versus soft-serve ice cream. 

     The traditional hard-serve is more nostalgic, flavorful, and rich, plus the homemade hard-serve ice cream at White Farms makes going out for the frozen treat feel more personal, and honestly, more worth the money. There are around 60 flavors to choose from, too; from classic Vanilla to Red Raspberry Chip, and a favorite of Mint Oreo or Peppermint Stick, you can’t go wrong (unless you’re indecisive or lactose intolerant)! 

     With sundaes, Blizzards, and cones on the menu, there’s plenty of choices at Dairy Queen too, and if soft-serve ice cream is your preference D.Q is the place to go. Blizzards are what really make Dairy Queen unique, though. There are the Royal Blizzards with the yummy filling in the middle of the cup, the classic candy flavors that make the dessert undoubtedly tasty, and the limited-time flavors like Girl Scouts Thin Mints and S’mores you don’t want to miss. 

     Another plus side of Dairy Queen is the fact that it’s super close to the school. On one of the 70 degree days after 2:21, students can go right from class to waiting in line for ice cream with their friends. Although, if you have your license, the drive to White Farm is hardly a force, as long as you don’t mind sitting through all that after-school traffic (which lowkey is a force). 

     After asking IHS’s Wes Smith’s opinion, he jokingly says, “Alright, here’s the scoop, [no pun intended]; I can’t have ice cream, I’m lactose intolerant, but if I could, I’d go to the grocery store and get myself a gallon of ice cream. It’s the same price as a small at any ice cream place.” Wes definitely brings a whole new perspective into the question with his point. He then more seriously adds, “If I’m craving a good old fashioned soft-serve, I’m going to McDonald’s because it’s cheap and it tastes the best, but usually the machine is broken, so I’m going straight to D.Q to get get a soft serve with some razzle-dazzle aka a blizzard.” At first siding with Dairy Queen, he then continues with: “but, hey, if you want something that tastes straight from the cow, go to White Farms; they know what they’re doing.” His recommendations for both ice cream places show there’s not really one place better than the other. 

    Really when it comes down to it, there’s pretty much no definite answer. It’s all based on whether you think it’s worth the money, the drive, or the flavor. All and all, there’s plenty of time over summer vacation, so why not go to both? The more ice cream, the better.