Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard — Restaurant in College Park

The following must be read with Anthony Bourdain’s voice in your head. (RIP)

Dear Rita’s

You often looked like somebody’s memory of a town, and the memory’s fading. You’re not open half the year, so I judged you to be running out of business, your counters to be dust-filled, and your ice cream to be drab. But on this especially humid day, one of the first of this summer, we decided to visit you almost as a joke. We told ourselves, “Even Rita’s can’t taste bad when we’re this tired.” “I’d eat a brick right now.” (undergrads, I tell ya)

As I stood outside the counters staring at your menu, I wondered why you would call your ice cream, a custard, and how full of yourself you must be to think Italian ice is better than any regular ice. Yet, I wanted to try both of them. The gelati seemed perfect, a choice of custard served over ice. Summer was finally here, and I’d been waiting to eat into some watermelon but here I was trying the watermelon ice and a twist custard of chocolate and vanilla.

I was so tired, I didn’t complain about how unflattering your cup looked. I dug right into the custard and took a bite and I realized immediately – you were no ordinary ice cream. To make sure it wasn’t just me being dehydrated, I took another bite. So thick, so creamy. It was almost like I wanted it to just stay in my mouth. Your chocolate was just the right amount of chocolat-y and as I finished it, I was already starting to taste the ice underneath it.

It was as though the custard was just to slowly build me up to something even better, so I don’t get completely blown away. Italian ice is no ordinary ice. How could something so different from a custard, taste so good with it? You left me with puzzling questions but instead of trying to think them through, I just decided to continue eating. But you weren’t done, were you?

During every dessert, there’s a point where you start feeling bad it’s almost over. I thought I was there but there was something creamy underneath the ice. Turns out, they had more custard underneath the ice!(!) I was probably close to tears. And I say probably only because I don’t want to admit it. I knew then, you were not just some ice cream place. You weren’t trying to make money, by feeding people. It wasn’t the custard, it wasn’t the ice. You were trying to make people happy. And for that, I’ll always come...

I stopped by yesterday (4/1) to buy my 6 yo a special treat for pulling his tooth. The website said they opened at 12noon but the girl at the window said they didn't open until 1pm. I chatted with her a few minutes and said we would wait. We took our time looking at the menu as 6yo was bouncing because he was so excited. (We were by ourselves) While we were looking at the menu & waiting, the same girl comes to the window again and starts yelling at me that I needed to put a mask on or they would refuse to serve me! We were outside 2. There was NO ONE ELSE THERE! 3. Store was still closed! 4. There was almost full plexiglass covering the window & glass window was closed! 5. I have a medical exemption. And I Informed the young girl. The girl responded that she didn't care & store policy required a mask. I again repeated that I have a medical exemption & offered to show the actual mandate & the medical exemptions provision. She refused to look at it & repeated "it's store policy" I explained medical exemptions fall under the ADA and that they must provide reasonable accommodations. She goes again "it's store policy NO EXCEPTIONS! She then closed the blinds despite them all being open previously & there was less than 5 minutes until they opened the store!

Zero accommodations were offered. Service was denied. This location is known for poor service & rudeness. The real problem are the franchise owners & never being there or checking on things. This location gives Rita's a bad reputation. ADA and Dept of Justice have been contacted & they are now...

I visit this Rita’s about four times a week and still do not understand why the trash cans are up by the windows that you buy your fresh ice cream instead of down by the picnic tables or where people can throw their trash away after eating by the picnic tables not up by when you’re getting your fresh ice cream by the window you have to walk up the steps and then over by the windows where there’s lines and congestion for people ordering ice cream to throw your trash away I hope you consider this information little help for you to make some decision and moving your trash cans also from the order line you have to invade the order line to put your trash in the trashcan. It’s by the order line. I’ve been coming to this place since day, one that you were open and admire your Great accomplishments in the College Park area that would appreciate if you put your trash cans down below where people could throw their trash after they finish eating over by the picnic tables or around the corner where people can reach them rather than going in front of the lines where people ordering ice cream It’s bad enough the congestion there is a little out of control, but you have some great employees there and we do enjoy coming there, but I think you should take the suggestion to heart as constructive criticism about your trash cans thank you once again for coming to the college park area. Nothing better than...