Why Is Dairy Queen Closing Locations Across Texas?

Dairy Queen has closed nearly 40 locations in Texas, and fans are beginning to question what’s going on.

KETK reports that this week alone, 12 locations of the popular fast-food joint closed, 6 of which were in Texas. Restaurants in Hemphill, Jasper, Kountze, Huntington, Longview Eastman, and Lufkin have all closed. All locations are owned by the same franchise owner, although all closures are isolated incidents.

A representative for Dairy Queen told the outlet, “The closures are an isolated event, and we refrain from publicly sharing contract terms.”

Following the closure of 25 restaurants in February, KETK obtained court records between the American Dairy Queen Corporation and Project Lone Star, which controlled 38 franchise locations in Texas, claiming that the corporation would terminate its franchise rights if they did not revamp the stores to franchise standards.

On Jan. 30, Dairy Queen Corporate notified the plaintiff that it terminated 25 franchises and ordered a major supplier to immediately halt all shipments to the remaining locations. Project Lonestar stated, at the time, that their restaurants will “run out of food, beverage, and other restaurant supplies in the next one or two business days.”

Dairy Queen Is Selling 85-Cent Blizzards for Its Birthday

Meanwhile, across the country, Dairy Queen is celebrating its 85th anniversary. And in celebration, they’re offering customers 85-cent Blizzards for a limited time.

Starting Mar. 31, shops across the United States will offer a revamped Blizzard lineup meant to reflect the flavors of summer. Among the new additions is the Mixing Bowl Mashup Blizzard, a decadent blend of brownie batter and chocolate chip cookie dough blended with DQ’s signature soft serve. The Dipped Strawberry Cheesecake Blizzard also makes its debut, combining creamy cheesecake slices and chocolate chunks with strawberry topping.

Fan favorites are also returning, like the S’mores Blizzard, which was brought back by a fan vote. This summertime favorite combines marshmallow-filled chocolate bars and graham cracker pieces for a flavor reminiscent of campfire celebrations. The Confetti Cake Blizzard is also returned, with cake chunks, colorful sprinkles, and vanilla soft serve for a festive birthday treat. The Cotton Candy Blizzard, a popular combination of cotton candy flavor and vivid sprinkles, completes the menu.

Dairy Queen is celebrating the milestone with a special deal. From Mar. 24 to Apr. 6, DQ Rewards members may get a small Blizzard Treat for 85 cents with any $1 or more purchase, only through the DQ Mobile App.