Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard will open its first casino shop at the Rivers Casino Philadelphia, located at 1001 N Delaware Ave, on March 20. The milestone opening is part of Rita’s ongoing strategy to expand into non-traditional locations.
The Rita’s opening at Rivers Casino Philadelphia will be unveiled during the casino’s St Patrick’s Day Weekend Celebration. Casino guests stopping in on March 20 by will get to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Rita’s First Day of Spring promotion.
“As a Philly favorite, we’re excited to open within Rivers Casino Philadelphia to create more opportunities for guests to experience Rita’s, especially in a non-traditional, entertainment-filled atmosphere like a casino,” said Linda Chadwick, CEO of Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard in a statement. “The Rita’s model lends itself well to compact, high-volume spaces, so we expect this new shop will be a positive addition to the casino’s food lineup and a big hit with guests.”
While this opening marks Rita’s first entrance into casinos, this location will join a variety of existing non-traditional units in theme parks and stadiums, and Rita’s first airport location coming soon. The location and build out flexibility of the brand is attracting new sites and even new franchisees, plus it’s creating more opportunity for existing franchisees opting to purchase and expand their existing brick and mortar shops with other non-traditional options, like mobile food trucks and trailers.
“As Philly’s first casino, we’re thrilled to be the first casino to feature Rita’s Italian Ice,” says Justin Moore, general manager of Rivers Casino Philadelphia. “The first day of spring is the perfect time to bring together two of Philadelphia’s most recognizable brands. We can’t wait for guests to enjoy frozen treats all year long.”
“Our expansion across non-traditional spaces is just another way we’re able to be a footnote in moments that people will remember for a lifetime – like when they went to see their favorite sports team or ‘hit it big’ at the casino,” explains Chadwick. “With this entrance into casinos, we hope to introduce the brand to others that may not have visited Rita’s, and have Rivers Casino Philadelphia be a success story to spur future non-traditional growth.”
In addition to non-traditional franchise growth, Rita’s is actively looking for additional brick and mortar franchisees to help develop the brand across the country for expansion. The brand is seeking to partner with hands-on entrepreneurs who are passionate about the brand, their community and are motivated to grow.
