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Mister Softee knockoff Master Softee now New York Ice Cream

Some former Master Softee trucks have changed their name to New York Ice Cream, as seen on this truck spotted in Herald Square.
Some former Master Softee trucks have changed their name to New York Ice Cream, as seen on this truck spotted in Herald Square. Photo Credit: Archie Comics

The soft-serve ice cream truck battle continues.

Mister Softee – everyone’s favorite soft-serve ice cream truck – has been fighting the vendor of the knockoff Master Softee ice cream trucks in court. A federal judge ordered that Master change its name and logos, which like Mister Softee, features an ice cream cone with a face.

In the past week, former Master Softee trucks have been spotted in Herald Square and Astoria boasting a new name: New York Ice Cream. But according to Mister Softee owner Jim Conway, the name change is not enough.

“They’re still not compliant,” Conway said, adding that Mister Softee was filing a second contempt of court motion today. “The trucks can’t be white and blue, they can’t use our decals and menu boards, which they’re still doing.”

Conway said the music boxes that play the classic jingle have not been returned, and the trucks were also violating a non-compete clause that a judge had ruled in favor of.

Nicholas Damadeo, the attorney for Master Softee/ New York Ice Cream vendor Dimitrios Tsirkos, did not immediately return a call for comment.

“[Tsirkos] has that lethal combination of arrogance and ignorance,” said Conway, when asked why Tsirkos wasn’t complying with the court order. “He thinks he can do whatever he wants.”