The sweet treat is a popular way to keep cool during the hot British summer – but the name has led some people to feel ripped off
Most Brits will have indulged in a treat from the side of an ice cream van at some point in their life. A popular choice is a classic 99 – a soft serve ice cream with sauce and a Flake. But, most people are wrongly slamming businesses for ignoring the name and charging upwards of £3 in places.
The price of a 99 ice cream in 2025 is likely to be around £3.77 in the North East and close to £4.10 in London, according to Park Holidays. However, prices can vary significantly by location and even vendor, with some areas like seaside towns potentially charging more
TikTok sensation and ice cream van owner Jordan Edwards, from St Helens in Merseyside, felt the need to clear up the issue on Instagram. Speaking to his 800,000 followers, the former football coach turned ice cream man said: “I really didn’t want to make a video about this, but I think it’s needed.
“I put a video out the other day with the price of a 99 and, obviously, loads and loads of comments came on there about the price of a 99 these days – asking why it isn’t 99p. Yes, at one stage, an ice cream was 99p – I can’t argue that. But, it was also cheaper than that at one stage as well.”
He added: “A lot of people, when they look at prices, of something from a business are only looking at it from a consumer point of view. But, when people comment and say things about prices, you need to sometimes look at it from a business point of view as well and why we charge the prices that we charge.”
Jordan explained how there are many “hidden costs” when running a business, especially one like his. From staff wages to stock and running costs, as well as machine maintenance, there are lots of overheads when making sure the business stays profitable.
He said: “We stock premium toppings in our van, we don’t hold back on the quality that we provide. When we do these things, obviously, we have to have a price where we are going to make a profit. If we didn’t have a profit, I wouldn’t be in business.”
Why does the 99 ice cream get its name if it’s not the price?
With a little bit of research, the name behind this nostalgic sweet treat has never been linked to the price that businesses charge their customers. In fact, Cadbury itself has confirmed that one member of the Italian Royal Family.
On a Facebook post, a spokesperson said: “Cadbury Flake was favoured by Italian ice cream makers in Durham, England as a special finish to their ice creams. As Italian Kings once had a special guard of 99 men, anything deemed special was known as ’99’, hence the ’99’ ice cream.”
Aside from these royal theories, there are other rumours about how the iconic ice cream obtained its name. In 1922, a man called Stefano Arcari opened up an ice cream shop in Scotland at 99 Portobello High Street.
He would apparently break a Flake in half and then place it in the ice cream to serve to his customers, taking inspiration from the shop’s address for the ice cream’s name. However, Stephen’s granddaughter Tanya Arcari told the BBC that this family legend comes with “no proof”.