The Sweet Debate: Jimmies Versus Sprinkles In South Jersey

If you’ve ever stood in line at a South Jersey ice cream stand and asked for jimmies, chances are someone nearby either gave you a side-eye or maybe nodded in full agreement.

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That’s because here in South Jersey, we’re always in the middle of one of the most sugary debates around during the summer months: are they jimmies or sprinkles?

What Exactly Are Jimmies, Anyway?

For many folks with roots in Philly or the western side of South Jersey, this ice cream topping = jimmies.

Thrillist actually traced the term back to the 1940s, when a Boston candy company called Just Born started using “Jimmies” as the name for its chocolate ice cream toppers. Believe it or not, that’s the same company behind Peeps and Mike and Ikes.

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There’s even a theory that the name came from the first employee who operated the sprinkle machine… his name might’ve been Jimmy. Is that 100% confirmed? Not really. But we love a good sprinkle origin story.

Sprinkles: The Inclusive Queen of Toppings

While “jimmies” often refers specifically to the chocolate variety, sprinkles feels more like the umbrella term. According to Merriam-Webster, sprinkles are “small particles of candy used as a topping,” which can include rainbow, chocolate, or even those tiny round nonpareils.

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Sprinkles can also top more than just ice cream.

People put them on donuts, cupcakes, any cake or that type of dessert you can think of, really.

Is It Jimmies Or Sprinkles In South Jersey?

It kind of depends who you ask and where their family’s from. Philly roots? Probably jimmies.

South Jersey locals that live near the beach or transplants from North Jersey or New York? Likely sprinkles.