Rita's Italian Ice

It all began in the summer of 1984 when Bob Tumolo, the original founder of Rita's and his mother, Elizabeth, began experimenting with recipes for Italian Ice made with chunks of real fresh fruit. The result was quite possibly the best Italian Ice they had ever tasted and the concept of Rita's was born.

The first Rita's opened in May 1984 on a front porch in Bensalem, PA. Word of mouth spread quickly and in no time, lines were wrapping around the block. In 1987, the Tumolo's decided to franchise the family business and the Rita's concept took off like a rocket.

In May of 2005, Rita's was purchased by Pittsburgh-based McKnight Capital Partners under the direction of Jim Rudolph, our Chairman and CEO. Today, Rita's is the leader in the Italian Ice category, franchising in 23 states with 550 stores open.

The Rita's concept was built from the ground up based on "Rita's" values: Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Service. As we have grown larger over the years, the concept of family remains very important to us and we are always looking to welcome new family members who share in our values and our vision for the future."

Rita's brand promise is Ice, Custard and Happiness™. Rita's offers a variety of frozen treats including its famous Italian Ice, Old Fashioned Frozen Custard and layered Gelati as well as its signature Misto™ and Blendini™ creations.