A comparison of a single-scoop chocolate order at Cold Stone Creamery and Baskin-Robbins found Cold Stone delivered a larger chocolate scoop for $6.25, but the cone choice pushed the final price above $8—showing how small add-ons can swing perceived value.
The moment the cone landed in front of me, the math started running in my head.
At Cold Stone Creamery, I ordered a single scoop of chocolate ice cream in a “Like It” size for $6.25. The website said that size should’ve given me about 5 ounces of ice cream—an ounce more than what I got at Baskin-Robbins.
To make the order match how I wanted to eat it, I asked for it in a cone. That added $1.95, bringing my total for the single scoop to over $8. Even though cones are a common way to enjoy ice cream, the added cost still felt pretty expensive for what was, in the end, just one scoop.
Cold Stone’s menu offered a helpful option: I could’ve had two ice cream flavors mixed together and a topping mixed in (the Cold Stone signature) for no extra charge. That detail matters because it changes what “value” can mean at the counter. The price for upgrades like mix-ins wasn’t the issue—it was choosing a cone.
The cone itself also affected the balance of the dessert. Cold Stone had several scoop sizes, but minimal cone sizes. The big waffle cone had a more premium feel than a basic wafer or sugar cone. but it made my small scoop look disappointing. It also threw off my cone-to-ice-cream ratio, making the dessert feel imbalanced—more structure than ice cream.
Cone aside, the ice cream was incredibly creamy. Still, the chocolate flavor didn’t hit as hard as I wanted. I found myself wishing it packed more punch.
Based on current prices, this same ice cream would now cost about $6.95, plus an extra $1.75 for the cone.
Cold Stone Creamery Baskin-Robbins ice cream prices Like It size waffle cone cone-to-ice-cream ratio single scoop