Daily Scoop in Memorial Union opened in 1984 as a Wisconsin Union Directorate initiative to provide an affordable, scoop-style ice cream counter for students and visitors. The concept was created by Union staff and student leaders rather than a private entrepreneur, aiming to complement the Terrace and larger Union food offerings.
The shop lives inside the historic Memorial Union building at 800 Langdon St, a 1920s-era landmark built to honor UW–Madison students who served in World War I. The Scoop occupies a ground-floor east-wing counter that feeds directly onto the lakeside Terrace and has always been part of the Union’s rotating food-concession footprint.
Operations are overseen by Wisconsin Union foodservice in partnership with UW dining; staffing mixes trained foodservice employees with student workers and a food manager. Menu rotation emphasizes Babcock Dairy flavors, seasonal sorbets, and occasional student-created or event-driven flavors tied to campus programs.
The Daily Scoop’s model is practical and campus-focused: counter service, modest prices, daily rotating flavors, and take-home pints when available. It functions as a late-night meeting point, a post-event treat, and a steady source of campus tradition rather than a chef-driven restaurant.
Facility-wise, the counter uses display freezers for tubs and a small prep area; it connects directly to the Terrace for quick outdoor seating. The Union’s building features (timber beams, stone Terrace, and lake-facing sightlines) frame the Scoop’s operation and make the lakeside seating the signature part of the experience.
