Rita's Italian Ice
| Rita's Italian Ice | |
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Dessert shop |
| Genre | Quick Service |
| Founded | May 4, 1984 |
| Founder | Bob Tumolo |
| Headquarters | Trevose, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Number of locations | 594 |
Area served | 30 U.S. states, mainly in the South |
Key people | Kirk Griswold, Chairman Linda Chadwick, President & CEO |
| Products | Italian ice frozen custard frozen treats |
| Revenue | US$51 million (2019) |
| Owner |
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Number of employees | 5,000 (2021) |
| Website | ritasice |
Rita's Franchise Company, LLC, doing business as Rita's Italian Ice (originally and now informally known as Rita's Water Ice), is a privately owned and operated American quick service restaurant chain originating in the Philadelphia metropolitan area that expanded throughout and now operates primarily in the Southern United States. The chain is known for its Italian ice or "water ice" and frozen custard, but also offers multiple types of frozen treats and specialty creations.
Rita's opened its first restaurant in 1984 in Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania, a township outside of Philadelphia, and the company gradually expanded throughout the Philadelphia region before eventually opening locations beyond the Philadelphia area. The company is currently headquartered in Trevose, Pennsylvania. As of June 13, 2025, the chain has 594 restaurants in 30 states, mostly located in the South.