Why do we call an ice-cream with a flake in it a 99?

Answer 1

i think its either beacuase they USED to be 99p, or, when it originally came out, the ice-cream cones that they used were made by a company known as "Askey's" first established a cone called "99". As people ordered this, "99 with a flake" would have been shortened over the years to "99 flake".

Answer 2

The origins of the name are uncertain. One claim is that the '99' was coined in Portobello, Scotland, in 1922, by the Arcari family, who owned a well known ice cream shop there. They sold ice-creams with half a large 'Flake' inserted in the top, and reputedly gave it the name simply because the shop was sited at 99 High Street. The idea spread locally, then further afield.

Another theory (put forward by a Cadbury's sales manager, but now proved to be unfounded) was that the name came from Italy: "In the days of the monarchy in Italy the King had a specially chosen guard consisting of 99 men (The Guard actually consisted of 110), and subsequently anything really special or first class was known as 99 — and that is how the 99 Flake came by its name". The Wordhunt initiative in 2005 found that the myth actually referred to the Vatican's Swiss Guard, which traditionally had 105 members, and now has 100.

Another explanation for the name could refer to the last wave of conscripts for the First World War having been born in 1899 and referred to as "i Ragazzi del 99" - the Boys of '99. They were held in such high esteem that there are even streets in Italy named in honour of them after the War. If the 99 was launched in 1928 then possibly this was the reason why ice cream sellers in the UK were attracted to the name. It could well be that the chocolate flake reminded Italian ice-cream sellers (many of whom hailed from mountainous areas in the Veneto, Trentino, Bellunese and Friuli) of the famed Alpine Regiments - the Alpini - who wear a long dark-coloured feather cocked at an angle on their helmets.


A plain chocolate 99 FlakeYet another ingenious suggestion is that the initials of "Ice Cream", IC, form the Roman numerals for 99 (being 100 - 1). In practice, the number 99 is not written like this but as XCIX (wafer, chocolate, ice cream, wafer?). It could, of course, be that the name was coined by someone who either did not know this or ignored it.

One more explanation suggests that the original length of the flake chocolate bar was 99mm.

And, finally, a company known as "Askey's" first established a cone called "99". As people ordered this, "99 with a flake" would have been shortened over the years to "99 flake".

The Cadbury's website says that the reason behind the Flake being called a 99 has been "lost in the mists of time".

Answer 3

The correct answer is thi the "flake", they were originally 99mm long so they would fit into the box (100mm) when the ice cream manufactures ordered them they would just ask for 99's. Hence the ice cream was nicknamed a 99

Answer 4

Wasn't it because on the order form, the chocolate flake was number 99 so people used to abrievate it to 99. I'm sure that it's something like that. I heard this guy on the radio a while back talking about it and that's what he said.

It's not because of the cost as they have been around predecimal and it's equally unlikely because of their length as they were produced before the metric system was used in the UK.

Answer 5

Apparently it was named after an ice cream parlour at 99 Portobello High Street, in Portobello, Edinburgh that sold the first ice cream cone with the chocolate flake.

Answer 6

BACK MAN maybe right there. These ice creams were called 99ers before decimal currency was introduced. They probably only cost 1/- or 1/6 then. For reference, most people earned less than the equivalent to 99p per hour

Answer 7

the origin is uncertain but any believe it the possible origin of the phrase as coming from using "99" to describe something as first-class, in allusion to an elite guard of 99 soldiers in the service of an Italian king at the time of it's founding

Answer 8

A ha, common misconception the 99p thing. I was told it's because Cadburys Flake was the 99th chocolate produced bt Cadbury's....

Answer 9

because it was the most expensive at 99p, still a lot for an ice cream even though theyve gone up now!

Answer 10

It was original made to cost 99p. but now people charge up to £1.30 for it because theyre greedy, it defeats the whole point of the name