I compared ice cream at Costco, IKEA, and McDonald's — one came out on top

The winner: McDonald's ice cream

Knowing I was comparing this legend to other ice cream cones, I ordered one to evaluate with a critical eye. And I'm pleased to report it definitely holds up.

First, the swirl. The swirl! It's perfect — a masterpiece. The flavour is so vanilla-y and not overly sweet, and the texture is as smooth as can be. No notes. I think this cone is the exact right size, not too big or small. And, because you can order at the kiosk or go through a drive-through, it's a very accessible ice cream option. And, and, McDonald's has delicious other ice cream treats, too.

McDonald's cones are not waffle ones like at Costco, but they're still fresh and not stale. I'm a big fan of that last bite of ice cream that gets stuck at the bottom of the cone... Perfection.

• Price: $2.00 (or cheaper when you order through the app!)
• Tastiness rating: 10/10
• Experience rating: 9/10

Costco ice cream

Even though I crowned McDonald's the winner, know that Costco's cone is a very close second. Very, very close. It's delicious, it's massive, and it's a great price, so you truly can't go wrong.

Costco offers the option of vanilla, chocolate, or swirl, and I'm indecisive, so I always get the latter. The portion is so big that they offer to put it upside down in a cup if you're juggling a few things in your hands and don't want to drop it.

The ice cream itself is everything you want from soft serve: creamy, good flavour, soft, and easy to eat. I find it to be the right sweetness and texture — every bite is good. The cones at Costco are also yummy. They're a simple waffle cone, crunchy and not stale (win!). Costco also has several sundae options if you like your ice cream in a different format.

On ice cream alone, Costco is on par with McDonald's. But if I look at the ice cream-buying experience holistically, there are a few downsides worth mentioning.

First, it's too big; it falls over. I'd love it if they introduced a smaller size for more options. Second, you have to have a Costco card to access it. That's just the reality of anything from the Costco food court: you need a membership, you need to wait in line, and you need to battle the crowds. It's not a simple experience like a McDonald's drive-through, so you can't fulfil your soft serve dreams as easily.

• Price: $2.89
• Tastiness rating: 9.5/10
• Experience rating: 7.5/10
  

IKEA ice cream

Let's clear one thing up right off the bat — IKEA's soft serve cone is actually frozen yogurt, not ice cream. I'm not super sure, but I think that means it's healthier? But we're concerned with taste here, so let's focus on that.

I thought the flavour was good overall. It had a very strong vanilla flavour, not too sweet, and refreshing. Texture-wise, though, it just doesn't hold up to proper ice cream. It's not as creamy and has a slightly icy texture — not as smooth as the other two. The cone was also a little stale, so I didn't love that. And, if I'm being very nit-picky, it just didn't have a satisfying swirl aesthetic.

What I did like about the IKEA cone experience is that there are options. You can get a kids' or full-size cone, and there's also the option to upgrade to a waffle cone. They also have a strawberry frozen yogurt or lingonberry sundae. I like those options!

Overall, if I were in IKEA and wanting a cold sweet treat, I'd get one and enjoy it. But if I'm comparing it to the other two at face value, it comes in last place.

• Price: $1.75
• Tastiness rating: 7/10
• Experience rating: 8/10