LAFAYETTE PARISH — As heat advisories continue to blanket Acadiana, sno-ball lovers are turning to their favorite frozen treat to beat the summer swelter — and local businesses are reaping the benefits.
In Lafayette Parish, sno-ball stands like Old Tyme Grocery and Cajun Sno say the heat is bringing customers out in droves.
“How many times a week do you think you eat sno-balls?” KATC asked a customer who was waiting in line.
“Oh, about three times a week,” they answered.
From condensed milk drizzles to creative flavor combos like cheesecake, raspberry and strawberry, locals are serious about their sno-ball game.
Carlie Burton, a manager at Old Tyme Grocery, says this summer’s heat has turned up the volume on sno-ball season — and business is booming.
“You just kind of do the same with each flavor until you have a good mixture of all three,” said Burton said with a smile. “Add a spoon and a straw!”
And yes — she’s Team Condensed Milk. “Absolutely — any day,” she said.
For longtime fans like Greg Portlock, there's no contest.
“Y’all get y’all sizes and your prices right,” he said. “But nothing beats Old Tyme Grocery.”
Across town, Cajun Sno is also staying busy.
“Cajun Sno, baby!” one customer shouted as he drove out of the drive-thru line with his icy treat.
The family-owned and operated business has been serving up icy relief for years — and the line of cars on a recent Tuesday afternoon showed no signs of slowing.
“Oh yes, it stays like that all day, every day,” said manager Ashlyn Halpin, who’s worked there for nearly seven years.
Despite being open year-round, Halpin said the current stretch of scorching temperatures has only helped.
“For us, it’s helped,” she said. “It brings in a lot of people. I know it’s hot — everybody wants something cold to eat, and a little snack. But like I said, it’s just really hot.”
Whether it’s Old Tyme, Cajun Sno or your neighborhood favorite, sno-balls are more than a summer snack — they’re a time-honored Louisiana tradition.
So as the temperatures keep climbing and the sun keeps blazing, one thing’s for sure — in Acadiana, beating the heat tastes a whole lot like a sno-ball.
