Today I will be sharing my experience buying Turkish Ice Cream in Cappadocia so that YOU won’t have to be ripped off for Turkish ice cream as I was in Cappadocia. Always, always remember, whenever you are in Turkey, ask about the price first thing (unless the price is stated clearly for all to see).
Avoid this Turkish ice cream vendor at all costs!
Always research the average price of Turkish Ice Cream in the Area
I should’ve asked, or even conducted a Google search, how much does Turkish ice cream cost in Cappadocia? I didn’t, I just directly went up to an ice cream vendor that was closest to where I was standing and he was happy to give us a taste. Then, seeing how I had already decided long ago that I was buying ice cream from his shop, he started playing the Turkish ice cream tricks with me. Halfway through, he asked me quietly 25TL for small, 30TL for large. I was thinking, “okay I’d go for the large because I was going to share one with my husband”, so I said “30”. After he finished and gave me my ice cream (which was very small by the way) he told my husband to walk closer to him and started playing the tricks with him too before I could register what was going on. Halfway through, he asked my husband, big or small, my husband said small. The ice cream he got was half my size, and was charged for 30TL instead of 25TL (which was the small size). In total, I was charged 60TL. I could’ve contested that it should’ve been 55TL because my husband’s ice cream (which was half my size), but thought he probably didn’t hear correctly and just directly gave him the larger size. This is not the point, the point is, you should always ask the price first: How much does Turkish ice cream cost in Cappadocia?
I went back to the hotel thinking there was something clearly wrong with the price we just paid. I could buy a lunch in Cappadocia with 30TL – the cost of living in Cappadocia is less than United Kingdom. Remember, 30TL is almost £3! If ice cream in London cost £3 that would be reasonable, but in Turkey!??? So I went online, there was absolutely NO information on how much Turkish ice cream cost in Cappadocia (well, my blog post will fix that problem), but I found that in Istanbul, you SHOULD NOT be paying more than 5TL-7TL for Turkish ice cream. The price increases by a bit if you are paying for more scoops and/or more flavors. Near touristy areas it should be 7TL-8TL. Some people were ripped off once by paying 12TL near the Blue Mosque.
Then I thought…. WTF? I just paid 30TL for a small ice cream cone whereas the average price of an ice cream was 5-7TL?!!? That’s like 4x I was ripped off! I was really pissed off at this point. There was nothing I could do, stupid me for not doing the research first, stupid me for not asking the price. How could I make the easiest mistake in the tourist handbook – I mean, all the clues were there. On ALL the Turkish ice cream stands, there is no poster/sign that states the price. That’s because THEY make up the price according how they perceive you! I looked Chinese (lots of money), I was a tourist, and I showed interested in buying the ice cream regardless of how much it cost! He was probably laughing in his mind thinking he just earned 500% more than what he would’ve usually earned with one Turkish citizen.
The Actual Price of Turkish Ice Cream in Cappadocia
Ok, enough of the rant. I left my hotel, went back to the town of Goreme and went to EVERY Turkish ice cream stall and inquired about the price upfront. BECAUSE I asked about the price upfront, the prices were now reasonable. The cheapest was 15TL for a small and 20TL for a large. Except, when the other ice cream vendors showed me their “large size” it was so much larger than the one I received. So not only was I ripped off on price, I was ripped off on quantity. Why is the price more than Istanbul? I figured it was due to the fact that we were in Cappadocia and this town is a VERY touristy town. Nonetheless, I was ripped off 2x the average price of ice cream.
Being ripped off is not fun, and you may think, I was just ripped off 15TL, that’s like £1.50. Yes, it is considered nothing in London but it is the feeling you get afterwards. I had just spent three amazing sunsets in Tukey, experienced the warmth of Turkish hospitality, met new Turkish friends, received a free car ride from a Turkish man; I was just telling my husband how Turkey is proabbly the nicest and most friendly country we have been in so far this whole year, and now we meet a Turkish ice cream owner who takes advantage of tourists.
Be careful, be safe, and make sure whenever a shop or a restaurant does not list the prices out clear for you to read, then LEAVE. Or, ask about the price upfront and compare prices with others before making a decision!
If you’re interested in learning more about Cappadocia (no more rants, I promise), check out my post on Best Cave Hotels to Stay in Cappadocia for Hot Air Balloon Photos or the Best Hiking Trails To See Hot Air Balloons or the Ultimate Travel Guide to Cappadocia