Our recent Biggest Tasti Fan contest uncovered some amazing stories and demonstrated how many faithful customers have come to love and appreciate the brand. After a grueling selection process, we’ve found a winner.

Introduced to Tasti D-Lite by her sister some 10 years ago, Callie Schweitzer fell in love and ultimately selected her apartment in New York City because of its proximity to a Tasti location on the Upper East Side. When she gets married, she wants Tasti to be served at her wedding. But that’s just part of why we selected Callie as The Biggest Tasti Fan.

“Since I was old enough to visit my sister in the city by myself, we’d have weekly Tasti dates Monday night. Now, we live in the same building and our tradition carries on. We meet every Monday night for Tasti and catch up. It’s become the highlight of my week, and I can truly say Tasti brings us closer. Anyone who’s ever met me knows I am absolutely obsessed with Tasti D-Lite. After graduating from college, I specifically moved to 86th Street to live next door to a Tasti. I was absolutely devastated when the 86th Street store went under renovation and would frequently ask @tastidlite when the city’s only self serve Tasti would be completed! But what I love most about Tasti is that it’s become a huge part of my relationship with my sister.”

We asked Callie how Tasti fits into her lifestyle. She said, “Tasti is my after work treat! Once or twice a week I try to have ‘me’ nights where I cook a homemade meal, pick up Tasti and watch bad TV or a romantic comedy. I’ve come to associate Tasti with those relaxing nights, and I can’t imagine one of my ‘me’ nights without it!”

How does it feel to be recognized as The Biggest Tasti Fan? Callie said: “I’m honored to be representing the Tasti D-Lite fans! I wish I could meet them all and talk flavors and best mixtures! Trips to Tasti are so much fun, and I love finding other Tasti addicts!”

Callie will be joining us at our 25th Birthday Celebration event on September 7th. We hope you can too.

Honorable Mentions
Selecting just one Biggest Tasti Fan was difficult to say the least. We’d like to express special thanks and recognize two others that went to great lengths to share their love via Youtube videos.
Kim Ingle: Video Link….
Karen Joseph: Video Link….

Elissa tried a few different flavors, but I think her favorite (and one of mine) was Nutella. It is just so good! Billy, the store manager, added chocolate pieces as a topping, and it was absolutely phenomenal.

Ziggy was hilarious and so adorable! (Funny vidoe of Ziggy eating Tasti here.) At first, he was more interested in the balloon that Billy gave him than the Tasti. Once he directed his attention to the Bubble Gum Tasti though, any thoughts of the balloon were gone. He seemed to really enjoy the Bubble Gum Tasti, as well as the actual bubblegum that came with it. You can read about their visit from Elissa’s point of view here.

The next day, Blonde Mom Blog blogger, Jamie, stopped by the store with her daughters, Caitlin and Amelia. Jamie also became a quick fan of the Nutella Tasti, and her girls loved it as well. Amelia went for the classic Dutch Chocolate and Caitlin opted to try the Cotton Candy. Jamie even grabbed a handful of our Reading Club Bookmarks to hand out at the girls’ school. Make sure to ask a Tasti employee about the book reading program the next time you stop by.

It was so much fun getting to meet these sweet ladies and their children. If you think that a blogger meetup at Tasti sounds like something you would like to do, please do not hesitate to contact me, Katherine Gosney, at kgosney@tastidlite.com.

Thank you to Elissa, Ziggy, Jamie, Caitlin and Amelia for hanging out with me and trying some Tasti!

It all started with an idea hatched in the home office. The guys and gals who call the shots thought it would be good for all of us to get some hands-on experience behind the counter at a Tasti D-Lite store. So, Marketing Coordinator Jade Fox and Graphic Designer Kristen Gathany joined me (the Social and Digital Marketing Coordinator, Katherine Gosney) at Tasti D-Lite West End in Nashville, Tenn., for some behind-the-scenes action.

Once we got there, the store manager, Billy Ryan, showed us how to make French Vanilla Tasti, which is the base for half of the flavors. Dutch Chocolate is the base for the other half of our flavors. It all starts with the basics. Once you have the French Vanilla and Dutch Chocolate loaded into the soft serve machines, you can make anything!

In addition to the two base flavors, there were four other flavors on tap. The Bananas Foster was to die for; it tasted like a real banana! Billy had the three of us practice swirling Tasti into different size cups until we were pros… or at least semi-pros. There is a specific rhyme and reason to how you swirl it so that you can give the customer the correct amount of Tasti. Then, top away!

After we perfected our swirls, we learned how to make custom blends, milkshakes, smoothies and coffee beverages! Kristen decided to make Blueberry Cheesecake for her custom blend. Man, oh man. If you haven’t tried that—do it! We then made the Oreos® ‘n Cream milkshake, and that was another grand slam.

We served a few customers, and before we knew it, our Day at Tasti was over. We learned a lot about our products, interacted with our amazing customers and just had a lot of fun. Needless to say, it was a D-Litefully successful day at Tasti D-Lite West End.

Today, we named our new Tasti D-Lite mascot and are very happy to introduce the world to our very own, Fillmore Cups!

Shake out the cobwebs from your bathing suits, ladies and gentlemen, and don your bikinis and Speedos. That’s right. Spring is almost here, and it’s time to fold up those sweaters and lose those last few pounds that you put on during the holidays.

In the spirit of spring break, we have some suggestions for where you crazy college kids should go if you are beach bound in March.

1.       Panama City, FL

If you are a freshman in college, this is where you need to go. If you are older, you probably have already gone, so you do not need to (nor want to) repeat a spring break destination. In Panama City, you are able to find a hotel that is relatively inexpensive, and the hotels usually don’t know or care that you pack 13+ people into one room.

Warning: You may end up sleeping on the balcony.

2.       Jamaica

Get lost in the laid-back spirit of a Jamaican lifestyle. You’ll probably be listening to a lot of Bob Marley while dancing on the beach. For the adventure-lovers, it is a great place to hike and SCUBA dive. 

3.     Cancun, Mexico

If you make it to Cancun, opt for an all-inclusive resort; you probably won’t leave because everything will be right at your fingertips. Do take a break from partying every now and then to swim with some dolphins or go parasailing.

4.       Nassau, Bahamas 

Save the best for senior year. Make sure to snag an all-inclusive resort (a MUST) with a shuttle that will take you to Señor Frog’s in the evenings. The weather is gorgeous and everyone is friendly.  

5.       Destin, FL

Let’s be real, who graduates in exactly four years anymore? If you’re like most students, your parents are not ecstatic that you are going to college for another year (or two), so you need to tone it down a bit from the ultimate senior spring break that you had the year before. Destin is a great alternative. Who doesn’t love walking straight into Harry T’s from the beach? Go and have a good time. Celebrate your last year of freedom and don’t forget the airbrushed t-shirt.

Spring Break with the Fam

Mom and Dad, don’t think we forgot about you. In terms of thinking where you and the family should go this year, let’s start with: None of the above! We say that in jest, but just look for a resort that is family-friendly.

1.       Destin, FL

Destin serves as a great family spot, even though many college kids opt for this location. The reason behind both parties flocking to Destin is because the beaches are beautiful, there is a lot to do, and the price is right. There is putt-putt, bungee jumping and parasailing. Just read reviews and look for family-friendly hotels. The key is to grab a condo that will not rent to people under 25. 

2.       Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

There are not too many differences between Punta Cana and Cancun…except for the lack of college students. There are many all-inclusive resorts that offer kids’ programs and fitness classes. You’ll be able to have a real vacation by getting an occasional break from babysitting to visit that swim-up bar. 

3.       Cinque Terre, Italy

This is for the family who wants an once-in-a-lifetime experience. Catch some waves, get sandy and hike through one of the most beautiful terrains in the world. Cinque Terre means ‘five towns’ in Italian. Visitors can hike from the first town to the fifth town in a single day. There are also shorter trails and even a ferry that can take you on the rest of your journey. Pesto originated in Cinque Terre, so now you even know what to order for dinner.

4.       Washington D.C.

Looking for a fun trip with an educational spin on it? Dive into American history. It is pretty cool to see the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument at night, and there is no shortage of fabulous places to eat. There is even a Busch Gardens nearby, so you’ll be able to squeeze-in some theme park fun.

5.       Keystone, CO

If you’re just not ready to shed those layers, or maybe you are just looking for more of an adventure, Keystone is the place to be. The ski resort leaves little to be desired with its community atmosphere and plenty of things to do. The mountain hosts a multitude of ski runs, so a family of all ages and experience levels is sure to have a blast on the slopes.

It is about time for a craze of girls to arrive at the gym before spring break to whip their bodies into top-notch shape. How are you going to snag the frat daddy of your dreams with a beer belly?! Not that we are promoting a Tasti-only diet, but unbeknownst to many, Tasti D-Lite offers an array of smoothies that can serve as meal replacements, and it even offers metabolism boosts. Some locations also serve warm granola with fruit—YUM!       

So, this year, instead of listening to moans and groans from your family, friends and significant other when you suggest eliminating delicious treats like ice cream and pizza from your diets, treat yourself to Tasti D-Lite. It is a healthier, lower-calorie dessert with over 100 flavors. You are sure to find one you love. 

Submit your entry by 9pm EST Monday, November 21st and we’ll announce the winner on Tuesday the 22nd on this post as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

Note: Please keep your submissions family friendly. Any inappropriate or elicit comments will be deleted. Thanks

UPDATE:

Congrats to Leigh for her winning entry “I ain’t nothing but a hound dog for Tasti D.” She’s the winner of our $25 TreatCard.

Thanks so much to everyone for participating! Stay tuned on Twitter and Facebook for more contests and promotions.

Recently the West End Nashville location hosted a "Tweetup" for FranCamp attendees.

Special Twitter flavors were served and the Best Swirl contest was the highlight of the event. Congratulations to @Robin_CE who won the contest!

A big thanks to Billy and the entire Tasti Nashville crew for swirling up some great fun.

Congratulations to the winners:

Danielle T.
Ibba A.
Jill W.
Torsha C.
Vienna R.

Each of the winners will be contacted directly on how to claim their $10 Tasti TreatCard. Stay tuned for more contests and promotions and be sure to follow us on Twitter for exclusive giveaways and contests there.

Make a video. Sing a song. Or just send in a photo. It could get you to Music City USA for the 2011 CMA Music Festival!
Visit http://TastiCMAGiveaway.com to enter and learn more information.

Submit your entry by 10pm EST Friday, November 19th and we’ll announce the winner on Monday the 22nd on this post, Facebook and Twitter.

Note: Please keep your submissions family friendly. Any inappropriate or elicit comments will be deleted. Thanks

Winner Update:

Congrats to Stacey who submitted “Woo-Hoo! First to Reach a Million Points on the TastiRewards TreatCard!”.  The winning entry was submitted through our Facebook page.

We’ve selected the following honorable mentions to receive a Tasti D-Lite mousepad:

“All I need is a Tasti D-Lite Drive Thru!”  - Shari (Note: Our first drive-thru location is opening soon in Columbia, MO

“As deep as his love ran, he was starting to think that her love of Tasti-D ran just a bit deeper.”  - Jim

Thanks for all the creative submissions and stay tuned for more contests and promotions!