Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard

Mrs. K. knows her chocolate frozen custard, and her rankings are not handed out lightly. Over the years, she has sampled the best from Andy's, Culver's, and a few local spots, but Rita's consistently takes the top spot. It is not just nostalgia or loyalty. She genuinely appreciates the texture, flavor, and richness that Rita's delivers. We have looked for contenders, but nothing has quite matched the smooth intensity of Rita's chocolate custard.

Today's visit was another reminder of why Rita's holds that crown. No toppings, no mix-ins, no distractions. Just a clean, classic serving of chocolate custard to go. The staff was friendly, and the portion was generous without being over the top. Back in the car, Mrs. K. allowed me one spoonful, and I savored it like a rare treat. It was velvety, dark, and satisfying, with just the right balance of sweetness and depth.
There is something comforting about a place that gets the basics right.

Rita's does not need gimmicks to impress. It simply shows up with excellent custard, time after time. Whether you are a die-hard fan like Mrs. K. or just looking for a good dessert, it is worth the stop.

I went in tonight around 9:15pm to get ONE Italian ice cream , they close at 10pm. I felt that was plenty of time left to be considerate of the staff and closing time. I was greeted with, “do you know what you want” in an incredibly rude tone. Not a hello, not a smile, nothing. I haven’t been there in a long time and I was already taken so off guard by that, I quickly said, can I have a large vanilla with chocolate chips. I didn’t specify Italian ice or custard but I was right in front of the Italian ice looking at the flavors when I stated what I wanted. I start to notice her getting vanilla custard so I politely said that I actually wanted Italian Ice. If I’m gonna pay 7 dollars for something, I would like it to be what I actually wanted. Once again with major attitude, she goes about making the correct order. She made it seem like I was the problem. I understand I didn’t specify, but why wouldnt you as a customer service member of this establishment not ask me which one I wanted. You assumed and then got annoyed with me when it was wrong. Both employees looked like teenagers who were rushing around trying to close so they could get out of there and anyone who walked in to order something was an inconvenience to them and their closing procedures. Maybe there should be an adult working at all times, to make sure customers are being treated well. It made me so uncomfortable that I will never go back in fear of being treated like that again. Do better.

The Best!

So yum yummy!!

Icecream is mediocre but the worst is the insane prices! Small amounts of icecream and excessive prices! Wow, couldn’t believe since the icecream is nothing special at all….they post prices at the counter on the cups and then charge you more money at the register! And the shop smells horrendous, like bleach or Fabuloso cleaning products, really a HUGE turnoff

Always a fun stop when in the Charlotte area. Always delicious and very friendly

Rita’s Custard and Ice is a consistent go-to for a cool treat during those hot Carolina summers. It’s your classic franchise-style setup, but this location has a little extra charm thanks to some genuinely friendly and well-trained staff. Every time we stop by, the place is buzzing—and for good reason. It’s clearly a local favorite.

While the menu has lots of fun and colorful options, I personally gravitate toward their Ice Blenders and frozen lemonades. They’re refreshingly all-natural and don’t have the added dyes you’ll find in some of their other menu items, which is a big win in my book.

Is it the best frozen dessert I’ve ever had? Maybe not—but it’s reliably good, quick, and hits the spot every time. For a sweet, icy treat with friendly service, Rita’s delivers exactly what you need. Definitely worth the stop if you’re nearby and looking to cool off!

Rita’s has our favorite Italian ice, but EVERY TIME we have gone there and gotten a cookies and cream concrete WITHOUT FAIL there has been hardly any hot fudge, and when we DoorDash it there’s none at all. You couldn’t order the strawberry cheesecake concrete and not get the strawberry filling. The hot fudge is part of what you’re paying for when you get the concrete!! PLEASE Rita’s, we just want our hot fudge.

My favorite place!!! Nothing like a mango water ice with a little vanilla custard on top from Rita's!

Great service and they work extremely quickly!

I love the cherry and mango small Italian ice. My favorite 😍!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Italian Ice

Gabrielle was super friendly and their ice-cream tasty!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Mango

Rita’s custard better than Andy’s ngl

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

the italian ice here is fantastic, but i was a bit disappointed that the “family” restroom is only reserved for employees and I had to go elsewhere to use a restroom. Other than that everything was great!!

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 5

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Frozen Custard

I came to Rita’s expecting an average experience, but I was blown away by the delicious chocolate custard and excellent customer service. I am allergic to nuts, and the staff Gabrielle and Lia were great at accommodating my order based on that allergy. Overall, it was fantastic and I will definitely be returning.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Frozen Custard