Vince Failla, creator and owner of Cup ‘R Cone, started his iconic Ice Cream Truck in 2021 and is proudly hosting two brick and mortar locations this summer. Last summer was the first year of the downtown Rehoboth Cup ‘R Cone Shack at 251 Rehoboth Avenue, where he shares a coveted parking lot, offering free parking, with his commissary Crusher’s. The Shack boasts a mural of his mascot, a sloth eating ice cream. “Sloths are cool, and it’s a way to remember to slow down, we’re at the beach, don’t be in a hurry, be happy…and eat some ice cream,” he said with a laugh. His second location, new this summer, is Cup ‘R Cone in Longneck at 34792 Longneck Rd, where a mural of his sloth mascot is underway.
Vince’s best friend’s family owns Bonkey’s, an ice cream shop with two locations in Bethany Beach. As a teen, Vince spent his summers working there. Vince (now 26) recalls how Bonkey’s current owner, Bonnie Cunningham, encouraged him to start his own ice cream business. “She pushed me to just do it, and figure it out as I go,” he said. Starting with an ice cream truck, Vince expanded to three Cup ‘R Cone locations in just three years. Vince affirms that Bonnie was right, as he has established himself as a staple of Delaware Beach ice cream. “I went from scooping and managing to making and creating,” he said.
All of Cup ‘R Cone ice cream is made here in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and boasts 20 flavors a day at all locations. For 4-5 hours per day Vince personally makes ALL of the homemade hand dipped ice cream himself, in one ice cream batch maker. “I can do 8 boxes in an hour and there are 2.5 gallons in a box. I have so many flavors because nothing ever sits more than a couple of days” he explained.
Each summer there are around 50 flavors rotated throughout the season. While he always offers traditional vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, his menu includes a variety of unique and incredible flavors. “Believe it’s Bacon” is a butter pecan base flavor with actual bacon pieces for a crunch. “Lemongrass Basil” features a crisp lemongrass flavor with a bite of basil. “Minty Leprechaun,” which is a customer favorite, has a mint base, mint cookies and fudge swirled in. And finally, “Burnt Sugar,” which Vince says, “Tastes like the top of Crème Brulé.” He also always includes at least one vegan option which he ensures uses its own scoop “for customers with food allergies.”
“Our base is top secret,” he said with a smile. And while he wouldn’t reveal the magical recipe, he did reveal the quality of ingredients. “We do not use high fructose corn syrup, only natural sugar and nothing is fake,” he asserted. “All the milks used are locally sourced and farmed in Delaware, Pennsylvania or Maryland. Oh, and the ice cream base is gluten free and egg free, unless certain ‘stir-in’ toppings are added,” he explains.
So, find your nearest location and try all the flavors of hand-made local deliciousness. Vince’s Ice Cream Truck’s schedule can be found on his website cuprcone.com.
