Marshalltown / Iowa / United States
The first Dairy Queen store was opened in 1940 in Joliet, Ill. Since that time, the company has grown to more than 6,000 stores in over 20 countries. Dairy Queen is an ice cream shop and grill that is one of the largest fast food restaurant franchises in the world. For many years, the franchises slogan remained "We treat you right!" In recent years, it has been changed to "DQ something different." Dairy Queen is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. The companys stores are operated under three brands, all bearing the distinctive Dairy Queen logos and serving the companys signature soft-serve ice cream. Its stores serve a normal fast food menu that features burgers, french fries and processed chicken products in addition to frozen treats and hot dogs.
