Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Unlimited Cup Lessons





Fro-yo girl here. For Yogurtland Real Reward members, the ultimate reward for eating froyo is the coveted “Unlimited Cup.”

To earn the Unlimited Cup you need to (1) be a Real Rewards member and (2) collect 520 points within a year of the day you first joined Real Rewards (or the anniversary of the day you first joined).

Generally, one ounce of froyo and toppings is equal to one point though sometimes they have double point promotions (most of these are for new Real Rewards members). The free froyo you earn along the way doesn’t earn you any points. If you buy gift cards, the points go to the person using the gift card at the time he/she is paying for the yogurt.

With the free froyo rewards every 36 points, you have to eat way more than 520 ounces to get to your Unlimited Cup. Once you earn the Unlimited Cup, you have a month to redeem it. You can redeem it at any Yogurtland store whenever you want. Whatever fits in the 16 ounce cup is yours, free.

Tips for Building Your Unlimited Cup

  • (Pre-planning) Choose a day/time that isn’t busy (generally going when Yogurtland first opens should work) so people don’t get in your way. Bring a tray (e.g., the FreeHand ThumbTray from CarryOutSupplies.com makes it easy to carry multiple cups of froyo).
  • (Pre-planning) Be sure to start with the 16 oz cup (if you start with the larger cup, you may have to transfer what’s in it to the 16 oz cup
  • (Pre-planning) Survey the available flavors and toppings and decide what you want before you start. 
    • Keep in mind that some toppings freeze better than others (e.g., fresh fruit, gummy bears don’t freeze well). Cookies and nuts still taste good when frozen. Nuts are probably the best because they don’t get soggy.
    • Pick froyo flavors that will complement each other. Forget using a cup divider. 
You’re ready to start building your cup.
  1. Build a base of toppings about 1 inch on the bottom – pack it solid with toppings – cookies and nuts. Use a spoon to mash together and make a smooth, even surface. The toppings base was about four ounces in my cup.
  2. Add froyo – no one sees what’s inside the cup. Try swirling to fill the cup (usually I start from the edges and then fill in the center). Don’t exceed the rim of the cup. Once you’ve gotten close to the rim, stop and tap the bottom of the cup hard against the table. This will fill in any air pockets. Add more froyo till you reach the rim. Stop.
  3. Add a ring of wafer roll cookies. Make sure the cookies are firmly placed in the froyo. Place them in right next to each other at a slight outward angle (not straight up and down). This will form a wider base for your froyo.
  4. Swirl around the outside edges…then start building your froyo towers . Don’t move the cup too much, a gentle back and forth motion will work. Do this 3 to 5 times till you reach the maximum height. Towards the end you can place the cup on the shelf below and move it a little that way. The multiple towers add stability to the overall structure. The goal is to get to 50-70 ounces.
  5. Add additional toppings if desired. Redeem your reward. Take plenty of pictures. Grab a few cups to transfer your froyo to so that you can take it home. The tray will come in handy.
For additional inspiration, check out the Pinterest board, Unlimited Cups of Froyo.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

4 comments:

Zelda Z. said...

Lessons to live by! Congrats on such a fun and exciting event, and hopefully there will be many more to come! :)

Lolia S said...

I don't know if I want another unlimited cup but if I did get one, I think I'd feel a lot less stressed out about it.

- FYG

Anonymous said...

What is the purpose of the base layer of toppings? Seems like you'd get a more solid foundation for the wafer rolls by using yogurt.

Lolia S said...

The toppings are heavier than the frozen yogurt and it's easier to pack them in on the bottom than to place them on top. You could add more toppings on top of the yogurt later but that takes time and they could fall off...plus your froyo might be melting by that time.

- FYG