The great thing about living in a sub-tropical climate is that ice cream is popular year round.
Mister Softee is a Hong Kong institution and while it only serves four items (see menu), I preferred the traditional “Soft Ice Cream Crispy Sugar Cone”, which comes in one flavor: vanilla.
My favorite Mister Softee spot was near the Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, across from the former Welfare Handicrafts shop. What better way to enjoy the spectacular skyline across Victoria Harbour than with a vanilla cone in hand?
According to the company’s website, Mister Softee came to life in Philadelphia in 1956 and started selling franchises in Hong Kong in 1985.
So I was a bit surprised that a recent New York Times article about Mister Softee going to China didn’t mention its long history in Hong Kong. The injustice!
For a sense of Mister Softee in Hong Kong, complete with Blue Danube playing from the trucks’ loudspeakers, rent Wong Kar-wai’s 1995 film, Fallen Angels. There’s so much Mister Softee ice cream in the film, you’ll probably stay away from vanilla cones for years to come.
Hi there Susan, I was googleing “Mister Softee” when I found your site, I was born in Hong Kong at 1969, and now I live in Seattle, I know I have “Mr Softee” when I was 3 or 4 years old ,so 1970 sounds about right, men I really love their ice cream, I never found anything as good as their in the state, I sure miss it, well is nice to see your site, and I enjoy your story very much, thank you, I hope you are having a good time in Chicago.
Take care
Alex
Thanks so much, Alex!! I wish we had Mr. Softee in Chicago. I still remember all those vanilla cones I enjoyed in Hong Kong. It’s always nice to hear from another Mr. Softee fan!
Mr Softee is still going strong in Hong Kong- will have a cone for you!
Thanks so much!! I’m sure indulging in a Mister Softee will lessen the blow of seeing the shrunken harbor!
late 70s and 80s – not sure they had this exact corporate image – but they turned up at events with zillions of people (football club etc). all i remember was the softee cone. at the star ferry kowloon only late 80s – there was an established star ferry shop on the left of the first class turnstile which had been in business since….forever
Thanks! I also read that the HK government stopped giving hawker licenses after 1978, and one truck couldn’t transfer its license to another truck, so after a Mister Softee trucks stops working, the license will die with it. That doesn’t really make sense if Mister Softee didn’t officially enter HK until 1985. Wikipedia isn’t always the best source for info, but it’s gotten a lot better over the years. Anyway, another HK mystery!
i loved ice cream and popsies in hong kong – good memories.
first generation mobiles dubbed ‘popsie men’ rode a bike with a cooler packed in dry ice on the front sponsored by dairy farm. one parked outside my school every day with beach umbrella and a display of chinese dried fruits and bubble gum underneath – approximate cost 10 cents.
second generation – upgraded to a vespa moped with side car, not sure if the cooling system was still dry ice or if it was somehow hooked up to the bike.
mister softee was definitely around in my day too and my favourite was the soft cone
Thanks! I remember seeing photos you posted on Facebook of the popsie men. When I looked on the Mister Softee website, it said they didn’t go to Hong Kong until 1985. Wikipedia said they went in around 1970. Kind of a big difference. Do you remember seeing the trucks in the early 70s?
Mr Softee at the TST Star Ferry has just bought a new truck so business must be OK, and no problems transferring the licence!
Thanks so much, Pete! That’s so good to know!