Soft Serve Skirmish: Ice Cream Truck Drivers Accused Of Threatening Rivals With Metal Pipes
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A New York City ice cream company has been accused of turning up the heat on the competition.
Darrin Giglio -- a private detective for Mister Softee -- told 1010 WINS' John Montone that drivers from rival New York Ice Cream have threatened Mister Softee drivers with metal pipes.
"It's hard for Mister Softee to have trucks in that area, or to sell to that area because of these tactics. It's not worth it to them, or the drivers don't want to be there because of those tactics," Giglio said.
The companies have reportedly been feuding over frosted snack distribution since 2013, when former Mister Softee drivers founded 'Master Softee' and used a similar logo.
A judge ruled against Master Softee forcing a name change to New York Ice Cream. An order that lapsed in 2016, also prevented New York Ice Cream from slinging soft serve in parts of Midtown.
Since the spring, New York Ice Cream has been scooping up customers in the newly available territory.
"We own Midtown," a driver for New York Ice Cream told the Post.
Giglio compared the heated competition between the companies to a mafia turf war.
