Social media is suspicious of fowl play in the pricing of Baskin-Robbins’ Ice Cream Turkey Cake.
On Nov. 4, a Threads user posted about the stark price differences for the item at two Baskin-Robbins near them.
The Thanksgiving-themed dessert has been sold at the chain for decades, serves 12 to 15 people and features a dome of the customer’s choice of ice cream flavor decorated with sugar cone legs, covered in icing and caramel praline glaze.
“@baskinrobbins please explain how these six-mile-apart turkeys can be priced this way,” the user wrote.
They posted a trio of screenshots that tell a confounding story: One Turkey Cake sold at a Baskin-Robbins location in Cleveland, Ohio, costs $26.99, and at another location in North Olmsted, Ohio, the very same cake is priced at a whopping $74.99.
That’s a $48 difference between shops 6.4 miles away from each other.
This got folks online checking their local spots, and the poultry-shaped dessert also yo-yoed in cost around the country: $82 in Bell, California; $59.99 in Southeast Washington, D.C. but $49.99 in Suitland, Maryland; and $26.99 in Whiteville, North Carolina, but $50.99 in Durham.
People chimed in with plenty of theories — and, of course, jokes.
“Wdym Americans have variable pricing turkey shaped ice cream cakes,” wrote one user.
When one person theorized that “one location DEEPLY doesn’t want to make these,” another who worked at the chain decades ago responded that the cakes were a “huge PITA to make,” but added that it does turn out looking good with patience.
A Baskin-Robbins representative says the Ice Cream Turkey Cake typically costs $45 but “pricing may vary by location,” adding that rewards members can receive $5 off their local price.
“Baskin-Robbins is 100% franchised, and as in any franchise model, prices can differ by location based on a variety of factors,” the spokesperson tells TODAY.com.
The spokesperson adds that, while there “are a handful at the ends of the price spectrum,” most customers can expect to pay about $45 for the cake.
“With Americans facing a turkey shortage this holiday season, Baskin-Robbins has become an unexpectedly reliable option,” the representative continued. “The Turkey Cake is easier to prepare, widely available, and comes in 31 flavors, ready for the holiday table.”
How to save on (savory) Thanksgiving dinner
On the contrary, while turkey prices are indeed soaring this year, there are a slew of grocery chains offering low-cost options for your family’s Thanksgiving dinner.
In October, Aldi announced its Thanksgiving meal deal, which feeds 10 people for less than $47 — its lowest price basket in five years — and includes a turkey with spices, gravy, rolls, mac and cheese, stuffing and ingredients to make more holiday staples.
Walmart also has a Thanksgiving meal bundle that feeds 10 people for less than $4 per person and includes 20 items: a 13.5-pound turkey, stuffing, dinner rolls, mac and cheese, and more. At $39.92, it’s at its “lowest price” since the chain started selling it in 2022.
Also at its “lowest price ever,” Target’s Thanksgiving meal deal can feed a family of four for under $20 (less than $5 a person) and includes a turkey and gravy, potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing and more.
Check out a full list of the Thanksgiving meal deals here.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
