Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is opening its first drive-thru location in the Dallas-Fort Worth area on July 1, 2026. The North Richland Hills location is the first of four Rita’s stores planned across the DFW area. The grand opening includes gift bags, free treats, and prize giveaways for early guests.
Rita’s Opens New Store at North Richland Hills
Located at 8900 N Tarrant Pkwy, the new dessert shop is the first of four planned year-round drive-thru locations. The expansion will bring Rita’s signature frozen treats and local job opportunities to the area.
Additional stores are expected to follow later this year in Flower Mound, Carrollton, and Farmers Branch. The first 50 guests in line will receive Rita’s gift bag with brand-inspired merchandise.
Ten of the bags contain golden tickets redeemable for free Italian Ice for a week. Another 10 bags contain tickets redeemable for free Frozen Custard for a week.
The celebration began June 30 with a Scoop-er Cutting Ceremony hosted in partnership with the local chamber of commerce. At 2 p.m., local officials, chamber representatives, and the franchisee team performed a ceremonial first scoop of Rita’s famous Italian Ice.
CEO Linda Chadwick said the expansion establishes Rita’s first year-round presence in North Texas. The chain has operated primarily along the East Coast for more than 40 years.
Features of the Four DFW Planned Locations
Each of the chain’s DFW locations, including North Richland Hills, is bringing several menu favorites. These include the Italian Ice, which is made fresh daily with real fruit. Other offerings are the Frozen Custard and Gelati treats, which layer Italian Ice and the custard.
In addition, seasonal flavors and limited-time items will rotate for the whole year at the four Rita’s locations.
All four planned locations will feature drive-thru service, reflecting the company’s North Texas expansion strategy. The drive-thru format is designed to accommodate customers looking for a quick stop throughout the day.
New Opportunities for the DFW Community
Each of the four new shops are expected to create local employment opportunities, including first-job positions for high school and college students. Construction is underway, and the remaining three locations are expected to open later in 2026, pending permits and buildout completion.
Since its inception in 1984, the dessert chain has focused on “Ice, Custard, Happiness!” While it was founded in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, it currently has 600-plus global shops. Recognitions include ranking No. 198 on Entrepreneur’s 2025 Franchise 500 and No. 211 on Restaurant Business’s 2024 Top 500 list.
