America’s Favorite Ice Cream Flavor Is… Pretty Boring

Ice cream is a busy food. Busy, I say! And I mean that inherently: It’s a foodstuff that can become chaotic, crowded, reaching for being more than the sum of its parts but ending up feeling like there are way too many parts. Sometimes, at least – but you only have to look at the likes of Jeni’s newest ice cream flavors, Publix’s summer selection, and Baskin-Robbins’ June flavor to see what I mean. Strawberry Pretzel Pie, Sweet Tea & Lemonade Float, dot cake ice cream…what happened to the classics?

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They haven’t gone anywhere. In fact, they’re still very popular. A recent survey examined the US’s ice cream preferences, and it turns out people really do stick to what they know.

Instacart’s 2026 Ice Cream Report: Tried And Tested

A few weeks ago, Instacart released its 2026 report examining America’s ice cream preferences. Based on 2025 data drawn from customers across the country, it breaks down what ice cream flavors and brands people are leaning towards. 

On the flavor front, in 2025, vanilla was most popular, with almost 21% of all ice cream orders made via Instacart selecting the classic flavor. Hey, if it ain’t broke, right? Vanilla gets a bad rep (and let’s be honest, it IS a bit of a boring choice sometimes), but a premium vanilla ice cream…it really does hit the spot. Vanilla was also the most popular choice in every individual state, although it’s worth pointing out that in Instacart’s 2024 survey, it was more popular by several percentage points. 

Second-most popular was (again, probably no surprise) chocolate, with almost 8% of all orders opting for this one. Honestly, the gap between vanilla and chocolate is pretty big – I thought it’d be a bit slimmer than that. Third place went to cookie dough, followed by cookies & cream and chocolate fudge/brownie. Strawberry came ninth, just FYI. 

What About Brands?

2025 was clearly a good year for Häagen-Dazs, as it was the most popular brand across America – followed by Ben & Jerry’s. Then came Breyer’s, Tillamook, and Halo Top. Interestingly, Tillamook was especially popular in the West, while Häagen-Dazs is a go-to choice for people in the Northeast – although in Maine and Vermont, they go for Ben & Jerry’s.

Instacart’s survey also gave us a picture of which newer brands are gaining speed, and Alec’s Ice Cream currently looks as though it’s in a very nice position, with 50% growth since last year. Fellow new kid on the block Van Leeuwen is also making waves and growing its market share, big time. Who knew delving into ice cream data would be so fun?