DAIRY QUEEN CELEBRATES 80 YEARS SERVING THE JOLIET COMMUNITY

Originally established in Joliet in 1940, DQ continues to earn billions from their 6,000+ locations

Dairy Queen, the popular fast-food chain specializing in hot dogs and frozen treats, recently celebrated its 80th anniversary by offering customers a “Buy One Blizzard Get One for Only 80 cents!” deal. The promotion was available at various participating locations including four Dairy Queen locations in the Joliet area.

The now-famous soft-serve ice cream formula was developed by JF McCullough and his son in the late 1930s and they shared the recipe with their business partner Sherb Noble, who owned an ice cream shop in Iowa. On June 22, 1940, the trio opened the first Dairy Queen restaurant in Joliet, Illinois on North Chicago Street. Although the original location was closed down in the 1950s, the building remained and was later named an officially recognized landmark by the city of Joliet. Sherb Noble continued owning and managing Dairy Queen restaurants until he passed away in 1991.

The founders decided to use a franchise business model and by 1955 there were over 2,500 Dairy Queen locations in the world. In 1962, Dairy Queen became a publically traded company and they were acquired by Warren Buffet’s company, Berkshire Hathaway, in 1998. According to the Dairy Queen website, Texas is the state with the most Dairy Queen locations.

In the 21st century, Dairy Queen opened their first full-service restaurant called “DQ Grill and Chill” and their largest full-service restaurant is located in Bloomington, Illinois.

As of 2020, there are still several Dairy Queen locations located in Joliet and the surrounding areas. According to their website, DQ expects to open new locations in places like Russia, Scandinavia, India, Germany, and many more in the upcoming decade.