Museum of Ice Cream

Report Alleges Atmosphere of Abuse at the Museum of Ice Cream | Eater

"Before the COVID-19 pandemic this Instagram-driven attraction charged nearly $40 for immersive, millennial-pink installations — from its signature ball pit of oversized plastic sprinkles and a 'sprinkle pool' to a room of fake pink bananas and a wall of pink dial phones — where visitors took endless selfies. The venue is currently closed, but a Forbes investigation alleges a deeply toxic workplace: employees were given ice-cream nicknames by founder Maryellis Bunn, subjected to aggressive “Scream Sesh” threats and an office known as the “crying room,” and endured humiliating treatment including a designer being told to rework a staff uniform with a remark about “fat people’s legs.” Hourly staff at the New York and San Francisco locations reported worse conditions — being denied bathroom breaks, one worker forced to wait four hours to change a tampon and later developing an infection, requirements to smile, sing and dance for eight-hour shifts, and a strict point/strike system that penalized illness. The company denied the anonymous allegations and said it is committed to learning and improving, but critics point out the attraction still generated about $10 million over four years and received roughly $40 million in investment last year, raising concerns about accountability and the safety of reopening amid a pandemic." - Elazar Sontag