Posted on 07/11/2026 11:32:22 AM PDT by Libloather
America’s love affair with the Blizzard is on ice.
Since early 2025, Dairy Queen has been in a franchise meltdown, closing at least 46 locations nationwide, with Texas taking the biggest hit after the chain operator, Project Lonestar, refused to renovate its restaurants, which got them iced out of the DQ family. Between February and March alone, 42 Texas locations shut down, leaving Lone Star cravers to fend for themselves. (Or finally try a McFlurry.)
In Alaska, three DQ locations in Anchorage, Wasilla and Palmer all shuttered at the start of July, leaving the 49th state with just one Blizzard maker left, according to the Anchorage Daily News. The lone location is in Soldotna, a small city with just 4,332 residents and 200 protected acres for bears, moose, caribou and wild sheep.
Meanwhile in Great Falls, Montana, a Dairy Queen that’s been open for 39 years chose to go dark on June 13 after nearly four decades. There’s no use crying over a spilled milkshake, though. The DQ owner, Steve Galloway, is pivoting to a fast casual Mediterranean restaurant instead.
The closures come as Americans are feeling the chill at drive-thru windows nationwide. Prices for food away from home have jumped 3.5% over the past year, according to federal data, making budget-conscious customers think twice before splurging on a Peanut Buster Parfait.
Considered one of the pioneers of soft serve ice cream, Dairy Queen was founded in 1940 in Illinois before getting acquired by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway in 1998. Today, it boasts roughly 7,800 locations in over 20 countries. And though the mainland is losing some Blizzard hotspots, the chain is reportedly plotting an expansion into Puerto Rico with 20 new “Grill & Chill” spots in the tropical U.S. territory.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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About 12 years ago, my brother and I walked into a Dairy Queen and asked for 2 brown bonnets. The kid working behind the counter had no idea what we were talking about.
Homemade Peanut Buster Parfait
ING: pint softened Vanilla Ice Cream, 1/2 c Hot Fudge, 1/2 c Roasted Peanuts, Whipt Cream
METHOD: Layer in two tall glasses, some roasted peanuts, 1-2 tbl hot fudge, then large scoop of ice cream. Push ice cream down to glasses' edges. Layer with 2nd round of peanuts, hot fudge, ice cream. Top w/ whipt cream, hot fudge drizzle, sprinkle of roasted peanuts. Serve immediately.
Is DQ really beloved? I mean back in the 70s when America ate a lot of bad food maybe. But our palates have gotten a lot better. Even people who eat DQ now know it’s not very good. It tends to be more convenient than anything else.
In the town where we buy ice cream there is a new Baskin-Robbins and a Dairy Queen. BR is a joke, not going back. DQ forever. Russell Stover might be good, but have not tried them recently.
Most likely.
People just don’t have the money to spend. Restaurants are hurting nationwide. Alcohol sales are down. Grocery stores are doing OK. More n more cooking at home n less eating out.
Braum’s also has moved into southwestern MO. I’ve seen stores in both Joplin & Springfield.
I worked at a Dairy Queen, they had good food and I like their steak fingers and gravy.
My sister and I worked at the DQ in town all through high school. I still see co-workers from back then. That was 65 through 70.
“””””I always considered them as saving calories, because with a dip cone I can skip lunch or dinner.”””””
Write a book, that is a user friendly diet plan.
There was a time when having the DQ franchise rights of a large portion of TX was a license to print money. I met one of those franchise owners at a ski condominium in Red River NM back in the 80s who certainly had the vibe of money being no problem for him. This article makes me wonder whether that’s still true for him but it’s been enough years that the franchise area has changed hands multiple times.
You must have grown up in Upstate New York—and I mean the real Upstate, like no further south than Albany.
Dang. And they just added the Dude back to their menu. 😏
Dr. Melik: You mean there was no deep fat? No steak or cream pies or... hot fudge?
Dr. Aragon: Those were thought to be unhealthy... precisely the opposite of what we now know to be true.
Dr. Melik: Incredible.
Chocolate.
Of course, a hot fudge sundae sometimes enters the discussions. If ice cream didn’t melt so fast, I could do the dip cone as the entre and the sundae as dessert.
I discovered Braum’s when visiting my son in Oklahoma. My kind of place! I love it there.
A distant relative owned the DQ in the next town over.
We always went there.
Their dipped cones are really fun. Ice milk is a healthy way to go, as well.
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