Bruster's Real Ice Cream is a chain of more than 200 locally owned and operated stores in the eastern United States. It was founded as a family-owned ice cream shop in 1989. The chain s stores serve waffle cones, sundaes and splits, shakes, smoothies, and cakes and pies. Its stores offer a variety of ice cream flavors, such as banana chip, Burgundy cherry, chocolate peanut butter and red raspberry. Some of the chain s stores also offer Nathan s Famous hot dogs. It conducts the Bruster s Booster Fundraising Program. The chain s stores provide discount cards for children. Its stores also serve frozen yogurt and fat-free ice cream. Bruster's Real Ice Cream has been recognized as one of the leading franchise companies in the United States by the Entrepreneur magazine. It supports The Humane Society of the United States and the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.