Ice cream is a dessert that may be consumed in a variety of ways. The containers used to serve ice cream are often designed with this fact in mind. Particular types of ice cream glasses can thus include ice cream sundae glasses and ice cream soda glasses. Some glasses may be created in funnel or slender flute shapes while others resemble bowls. In addition, ice cream glasses may be fashioned from actual glass or from plastic.
Many regions enjoy a robust ice cream business. Individuals and companies who make or sell ice cream often also sell specialty containers like ice cream glasses as a way of improving profits. While most glasses are made of glass, any type may be created with cheap and colorful plastic as well.
Ice cream is often sold in rectangular or circular cartons by manufacturers, which allows it to be scooped out at will. Individuals who consume ice cream in this manner will often use one of two containers: ice cream cones or bowl-like ice cream glasses. Bowl glasses may have a squarish or circular shape. The bottom of the glass may be small, with the sides flaring outwards near the rims. This produces a wide opening that can hold varying amounts of ice cream, and the bowl may also be affixed to a small flat stand that allows it to be placed evenly on a table.
Glasses intended for ice cream sundaes are typically fashioned to hold numerous contents. The sundae is an ice cream treat in which several scoops of ice cream are placed in the container, and extra ingredients such as nuts, hot fudge, and fruits are added. In order to hold all of these contents, ice cream glasses for sundaes are typically wider than normal glasses and have a large rim, although more fashionably designed glasses could have a funnel or thimble shape for the main portion of the glass. They may also be rectangular width-wise if they contain longer contents like bananas. Sundae ice cream glasses are often shorter in height than an average glass as well, allowing the individual to better access and mix the contents.
When individuals consume ice cream in drink form, they will need a container that more closely resembles a regular drinking glass. Therefore, ice cream soda or milkshake glasses — sometimes called parfait glasses — are available in a couple of major varieties. The drink may be consumed in a cylindrical glass with a flat bottom and a circular opening. Ice cream glasses like those used in old-fashioned ice cream soda shops, however, typically possess a more slender flute-like body that widens as it reached the opening. The glass in this body often contains indentations and wavy designs, and it is frequently placed atop a small stem with a flat triangular or circular base.