Havana's Coppelia sells ice cream again

After several weeks of closure, the Coppelia in Havana returned to selling ice cream, but Cubans assure that the only thing that has returned to normal are the lines.

The independent media 14 September He said the reopening has not been without criticism for slow service and lack of variety on the menu.

Despite the anticipation for the return of the "ice cream cathedral," customers have found that the Palmeto ice cream scoops, each of which costs 65 pesos, are smaller and hollow inside.

The news portal's report said that at the entrance to the ice cream parlor a worker warned customers "there is ice cream, but there is no candy."

Despite this, Internet users on social networks reported the endless queues, in a city where recreational options for children and families are increasingly limited.

The ice cream parlor closed a few weeks ago due to the lack of basic ingredients to make ice cream, like milk and sugar.

Some customers claimed that after so many days off work, employees seem to have forgotten about customer service. 14 September quotes an elderly woman who said: "With so many days without work, it is logical that they don't even remember."

At the beginning of November, an ice cream factory worker told the aforementioned publication that the quality of the product had declined too much in recent months, and only the original Coppelio ice cream was manufactured for those attending the G-77 Summit in Havana. .

He said that for that occasion a limited edition of Coppelia ice cream was ordered to be made for guests and hotels; but the factory was militarized to prevent the theft of the product by employees.

Now Cubans must pay 65 pesos for a scoop of ice cream called Palmeto, of slightly better quality than what was offered before. To make matters worse, this is only sold in the Cuatro Joyas room, an exclusive space in the ice cream parlor opened years ago in honor of the Cuban Ballet.

In January, the so-called Cathedral of Ice Cream was also closed due to the same lack of raw materials, a reflection of the general shortage on the island, as exposed by complaints from Internet users on social networks.

Long lines, poor attention from employees, hot water to drink and clandestine sale of ice cream were some of the facts that customers pointed out last year, after visiting that gastronomic establishment.