tesg's guide to big chain road food consumption

CHAIN -- Marble Slab Creamery
Owner -- Marble Slab Creamery, Inc
Primary Operating Region -- United States, Canada, Puerto Rico
Number of Locations -- 267 (January 2006)

In the big players in the "mix-in-on-a-frozen-slab" game, Marble Slab is the winner with me for one simple reason...My local Marble Slab actually gives you a receipt.  MaggieMoo's doesn't.  Cold Stone doesn't.  Marble Slab does.  We have a winner.

Marble Slab has signage on the wall that says "The One. The Only. The Original".  I suppose that depends on what specifically they're referring to.  The mix concept is largely credited to Steve Herrell, who opened his first store in 1973.  Herrell made his ice cream on site and offered candy bars and other treats folded into the ice cream.  Imitators went up everywhere seemingly overnight.  There are three big players in the format today.  

Marble Slab has been around the longest of the big three debuting in Houston, Texas in 1983.  Franchisee Ronald Hankamer purchased the 12-store chain in 1986 and has guided it into the 200-plus store chain of today.

Marble Slab's interior is largely done in pastel greens and blues.  The tiles behind the counter are in something of a random pattern that reminds one of...well...a bag of marbles.  The back wall is wallpapered with fuzzy Marble Slab product images.  The floor is painted concrete, and while observing patrons, I found that it catches the eyes of people coming into the store ("Oooh! That's neat.").  Aside from the decor, there's nothing unfamiliar here to MaggieMoo's or Cold Stone lovers.  There's fresh-made-daily ice cream using pretty much the same flavors as their competitors (apparently even made in the same machine as their competitors according to a Wall Street Journal article I read).  There's mix-ins, pretty much the same ones as their competitors.  You can put it in a dish, waffle cone, or waffle cone bowl (also made fresh on-site), pretty much the same as their competitors.  There's some specialty mixes posted, just like Cold Stone.  Marble Slab also offers frozen yogurt, ice cream drinks, and ice cream pies and cakes. Some stores have gourmet coffees, cookies and brownies.

This particular store was open just three days when I first visited.  Employees behind the counter wore brand new white Marble Slab polo shirts, brand new white Marble Slab caps, and brand new dark blue Marble Slab aprons.  He Who Apparently Owns This Store was also in attendance, in a drab gray T-shirt and khakis.  He spent his time in front of the counter greeting people and getting them acquainted to the concept.  Or maybe he's just Marble Slab's equivalent of the stalker in the Wendy's commercials who calls himself "Mr. Wendy".  That would be creepy.

I've tried one common flavor/mix-in at all three chains...Cake Batter with Cookie Dough (MaggieMoo's calls it "Better Batter", Cold Stone "Cake Batter", Marble Slab "Birthday Cake").  Marble Slab comes in second.  It's smooth and creamy like Cold Stone, but Cold Stone has a better flavor.

I did find Marble Slab to have a much colder ice cream in the end product.  It was still pretty hard when it got to me, where MaggieMoo's and Cold Stone's can be pretty runny.

Having said that, all three chains are very capable of providing you with a delightful and unique treat customized by you.  There really isn't a lot of differentiation in the product to make them unique.  Sure one might have a particular flavor you love that the others don't, but you probably wouldn't turn away a cone from any of them.  

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