On Feb. 7, Staks Pancake Kitchen collaborated with Spoonlight Ice Cream to celebrate National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Customers were able to try specialty menu items, sample unique flavors and purchase a pint of ice cream for any flavors they enjoyed.
The Auburn location of Staks, a breakfast and brunch restaurant, is owned and operated by Auburn alum Brian and Kim Wirth. Open 7 days a week, Staks provides customers with creative Southern dishes such as pancake beignet bites and pork skillets. Staks also offers private events and catering through their website.
Spoonlight is a local ice cream business based out of Opelika. Through their website, customers can order their favorite flavors or set up catering. This is the second year that Staks has collaborated with Spoonlight to organize an event celebrating the informal holiday.
Spoonlight’s slogan, “For grown folks who flirt with flavor and not consequence!”, aligns with the creativity of the event.
“I think there’s just so much fun in saying, you know, if you can have breakfast for dinner, why can’t you have ice cream for breakfast?” said Dominique Threadwill, founder of Spoonlight.
Spoonlight’s flavors extend beyond the traditional vanilla and chocolate. Some of the pints that customers were able to buy included lavender honeycomb, strawberry jalapeno and maple bacon.
Staks, a breakfast and brunch restaurant owned by Auburn alum Brian and Kim Wirth, is also no stranger to creative dishes.
In preparation for the event, Staks and Spoonlight came up with menu items that would appeal to guests. Spoonlight focused on which ice cream flavors they would bring, while Staks worked on the food and drinks.
“We collab on just what sounds good for breakfast, something that still feels nostalgic to people that they can really resonate with and enjoy,” Threadwell said. “And at the same time, something that gives a little pizzazz.”
In addition to Staks’ regular menu, customers were able to add a topping of ice cream to their pancakes, with flavors such as mixed berry, cereal milk and a cinnamon and maple combination. For customers who wanted ice cream in their drinks, affogatos were offered with any available ice cream flavor and mimosas were made with a champagne-flavored sorbet.
As customers poured into Staks and a line formed out the door, an employee from Spoonlight was readily providing samples while a Staks hostess guided them to the counter to order. As customers made their way to the counter and passed Spoonlight’s table, they made conversation with the team about the event and products. Children and adults alike excitedly accepted samples. Business cards were offered to show where to find Spoonlight on social media.
“This idea is so unique,” said customer Tori Schultz. “I’ve never heard of anything like this before.”
Customers were also surprised by the original flavors.
“I was looking at her spicy ones, the fire and ice ones, the strawberry jalapeno.. I was loving it,” Schultz said.
Not all customers were initially aware of the event. Several guests who participated in the Kappa Delta Shamrock 5K earlier in the morning came to Staks to eat afterwards and were surprised by the event.
“This is the perfect post-walk or run treat,” Schultz said.
Customer Marion Starnes, who also participated in the 5K, agreed.
“I had no idea it was National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, but I’m really happy that it is because I get to try this,” Starnes said.
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Layla Hyatt, sophomore double majoring in journalism and public and professional writing, is from Mobile, Alabama. She has been with The Auburn Plainsman since the fall of 2025.
