Mr. Softee truck disappears from South Jersey neighborhood after complaint about music
GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, N.J. - Mister Softee – everyone knows the song. But, not everyone is a fan. It’s even causing some drama in one South Jersey neighborhood.
Before you see the white and cool blue truck, many will know Mr. Softee is getting closer when the music blasting from the loudspeaker reaches their ears.
"Every kid comes running out of their house when they hear that music," said Jennifer McGlinchey who orders vanilla with rainbow sprinkles. "I really couldn’t imagine anybody complaining about that or it annoying them."
As it turns out, someone did complain about the music in the Blackwood section of Gloucester Township. A Facebook user posted: "Now our Mr. Softee has disappeared and has been told not to come back around to our area because of one neighbor calling to complain about the music."
"Mr. Softee to me is just a childhood memory. We loved hearing his music come around town, running home asking our parents for money and getting our ice cream," said Karen Staiano who orders chocolate with chocolate jimmies. "I think it’s sad for the kids. I mean like again, it’s a childhood memory. Kids are excited its summertime."
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FOX 29’s Jennifer Lee went to the Mr. Softee headquarters in Runnemede where Mike Conway’s family are third generation owners and work with owner/operators in over 20 states with more than 600 trucks.
Conway said complaints about the music are a continuous issue they deal with from time to time.
"If it’s too late, if it’s past like 10 o’clock at night, we’re like Okay, that’s way too late and we might wake people up," said Conway, Vice President of Mr. Softee. "But sometimes it can be at 2 or 3 o’clock in the afternoon. ‘You’re waking up my sleeping baby,’ but what about the other kids in the neighborhood that are running around and want ice cream?"
Conway tells owner-operators it’s hard to please everyone when running a business, but to use their best judgment.
"We need to play music to get the people out," said Conway. "When you’re stopped, we want them to turn the music down regardless of the time of day."
Conway said drivers work long hours anywhere between eight and 10 hours a day and, ultimately, they’re hoping to bring smiles to people’s faces with their ice cream.
The Facebook user who posted about the Mr. Softee controversy said he got a hold of the driver and now the ice cream truck is returning to their neighborhood.