Taxi app firm Uber hasn’t had the best of publicity recently, with cars burned out during protests against the company, anger over its extortionate surge pricing and one of its drivers attacking a passenger with a hammer.

Perhaps it make sense then, that Uber has decided to trundle out its ice cream delivery trick again. And rather than surge pricing for ice creams – the £4 Mr Whippys of last summer – this time they are free.

On Friday 24 July, Uber partnered with Wall’s in the UK, and various other partners in 58 countries, to deliver ice cream to users of the app, announcing #UberIcreamDay on its blog:

Consider this your chance to bring some childhood magic to your Friday afternoon.

This Friday, for one day only, we’ll be delivering a taste of summer (like they used to make it) with our friends at Wall’s. We’ll be bringing you your very own ice cream parlour on demand – completely free – with a little sprinkling of nostalgia.”

We have no idea why Uber thinks ice-cream is something only children eat; as though no adults ever have been known to eat ice-cream. As if ice-cream for adults was illegal. As if ice-cream doesn’t exist anymore. And ignoring the fact the weather in the UK is almost comprehensively wet and cloudy.

#UberIceCream is trending worldwide on Twitter, with some happily posting photographs with ice-cream, but many grumbling about the lack of ice-cream on the road.

Despite Uber promising the delivery of Cornettos “within minutes”, its site also warns that “demand will be high and availability limited”. Many users are greeted with the statement “all ice cream vehicles are busy” when trying to order.

This is the fourth #UberIceCream day, though during last year’s attempt the firm had more luck with the British weather – it was the hottest day of the year with temperatures as high as 31C.

Users at that time were charged £20 for five Mr. Whippy ice-creams leading to complaints at paying £4 per ice-cream. A Mr. Whippy at a regular ice-cream van would cost around £1-£2.

As well as ice-cream, Uber has also before offered cocktails, puppies and kittens to its riders. In the US, snuggling an Uber-delivered kitten would cost $30 (£19) for 15 minutes.

Only the most cynical would suggest Uber is trying to sweeten a slightly tainted and controversial public image – especially on the very day that the company is being sued for C$400m (£158m) by Canadian taxi drivers.

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