In pious New England during the 1880s, the church convinced local councils to ban ice cream sodas on Sunday, because enjoyment of the flavored treat overshadowed the reverence of the day.
The soda fountains’ response was to simply hold back the carbonated soda from the syrup, fruit, nuts, and ice cream and change the name to sundae.
The spelling was a clever way to legally promote the dish without referring to the Lord’s day.
