Dairy Queen Logo

About Dairy Queen

International Dairy Queen Inc., (IDQ), based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the parent company of American Dairy Queen Corporation and Dairy Queen Canada, Inc. Through its subsidiaries, IDQ develops, licenses and services a system of more than 7,000 locations in the United States, Canada and more than 20 other countries. IDQ is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which is led by Warren Buffett, the legendary investor and CEO of Berkshire.

Our Vision

TO BE THE WORLD’S FAVORITE QUICK-SERVICE RESTAURANT.

Our Mission

TO CREATE POSITIVE MEMORIES FOR ALL WHO TOUCH DQ®

Come Be a Part of Our Sweet Success

The secret to the Dairy Queen® brand’s success has always been simple. Our recipe combines hardworking individuals and great-tasting food that’s served in a welcoming environment. What began as the 10-cent sale of an unknown frozen treat in 1938 quickly boomed into one of the most well-known soft serve/frozen treat companies of all time. Food franchising had yet to exist, but the Dairy Queen® product’s rapid-growth potential made the process a piece of cake.

Today, there are more than 6,800 restaurants in the United States, Canada, and 27 other countries. If you’re looking to play a bigger role in your community or in the world of delicious desserts, we’ve got a treat for you. We’re looking for qualified individuals or groups to help us continue our story as a Dairy Queen® franchisee. Are you motivated and willing to help us delight our fans with the refreshing atmosphere, delectable food, and chocolate-dipped happiness you’ve come to know and love? If so, we have the resources to guide you towards successful Dairy Queen® franchise ownership.

Company Founded

1940

Current Leadership

Troy Bader, CEO

Started Franchising

1940 (81 years)

Total Number of Units

7,032 (as of 2021)

Part-Time / Full-Time

Full Time

How Much Does It Cost To Open A Dairy Queen Franchise?

There are several costs associated with opening a Dairy Queen franchise. There is typically a franchise fee set by the franchisor, which covers the costs of opening a franchise location. Some other commons fees include equipment fees, marketing fees, licensing fees, insurance, and taxes, to name a few.

Some franchises may have a weekly fee that the franchisee pays for operating a Dairy Queen franchise. The weekly fee for opening a Dairy Queen franchise is not specified.

The full breakdown of these fees can be found in the Financial Disclosure Document (FDD) provided to franchisees by the franchisor. The FDD report will contain additional information such as whether the franchise is renewable (Dairy Queen Is Renewable) and does the franchise offer financing support (Dairy Queen Dairy Queen has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll).

Dairy Queen Company Details

Here are some additional details about Dairy Queen.

Parent Company IDQ Inc.
Initial Investment $45,000
Net Worth Requirement $750,000
Royalty Fee 4%
Ad Royalty 5-6%
Cash Requirement $400,000
Term of Agreement 20 years
Absentee Ownership No
Run from Home No
Part Time No

Training and Support Offered By Dairy Queen

Dairy Queen offers several support options to its franchisees. With 7,032 (as of 2021) units, Dairy Queen aims to provide support to each franchise owner to help them operate a successful franchise location. Dairy Queen offers 245 hours on the job training, 32 hours classroom training, and At existing DQ store additional training.

Training and Support Offered

Here are the support options offered by Dairy Queen.

On-The-Job Training 245 hours
Classroom Training 32 hours
Additional Training At existing DQ store
Ongoing Support
  • Purchasing Co-ops
  • Newsletter
  • Meetings & Conventions
  • Toll-Free Line
  • Grand Opening
  • Online Support
  • Security & Safety Procedures
  • Field Operations
  • Site Selection
  • Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support
  • Ad Templates
  • National Media
  • Regional Advertising
  • Marketing Planning & Support
  • Social Media
  • Email Marketing
  • Loyalty Program/App
Dairy Queen Logo

Is Dairy Queen Right For You?

Dairy Queen has gone digital! Here are all of the ways you can find Dairy Queen online. Oftentimes, you can reach out to current franchisees of Dairy Queen online. Current franchisees may be able to offer personalized insights into what it is like owning a Dairy Queen franchise and offer tips to running a successful Dairy Queen franchise location.

Social

Why Should You Start a Dairy Queen Franchise?

Investing in a Food franchise such as Dairy Queen can kickstart your franchise portfolio. Our goal at Why Franchise is to provide you with the resources needed to be a successful franchise owner. Fill out the form below to get more information about Dairy Queen franchise and we'll be in touch soon!

Related Franchises

Browse other franchises in the Food and Ice Cream category

Zaxby’s Franchising LLC

Zaxby's is the creation of childhood friends Zach McLeroy and.

Liquid Capital Required: $500,000 Request free info
Wings Etc.

Not Your Average, Everyday Sports Bar Founded in 1994 in.

Liquid Capital Required: $200,000 Request free info
Ziggi’s Coffee

Ziggi's Coffee has developed a franchise program focused on the.

Liquid Capital Required: $90,000 - $100,000 Request free info
Wienerschnitzel

When our fans are craving a Chili Dog, they think.

Liquid Capital Required: $250,000 Request free info
Vitality Bowls

Vitality Bowls was created out of a strong commitment to.

Liquid Capital Required: $100,000 Request free info