Canada’s Dairy Queen history is a rich, creamy story. What’s the actual history between your favorite frosted treat? Find out the delicious truth as well as the full Dairy Queen menu with prices.
Here’s the latest Dairy Queen menu prices in Canada:
| Menu Item | Price (C$) |
|---|---|
Burgers Individual | |
| 1/4 lb. Bacon Cheese GrillBurger | $3.99 |
| 1/2 lb. FlameThrower GrillBurger | $5.39 |
| 1/4 lb. Mushroom Swiss GrillBurger | $3.99 |
| 1/2 lb. Cheese GrillBurger | $4.79 |
| 1/4 lb. Cheese GrillBurger | $3.59 |
| Original Cheeseburger | $2.19 |
| Original Double Cheeseburger | $3.19 |
| Chili Cheese Dog | $2.49 |
| Turkey BLT | $4.89 |
Chicken Individual | |
| Chicken Sandwich (Grilled or Crispy) | $3.89 |
| Chicken Bacon Ranch | $4.89 |
| Chicken Mozzarella | $4.89 |
| Chicken Strip Basket 4 Pc | $5.49 |
| Chicken Strip Basket 6 Pc | $6.89 |
Burgers Combo | |
| 1/4 lb. Bacon Cheese GrillBurger | $6.29 |
| 1/2 lb. FlameThrower GrillBurger | $7.59 |
| 1/4 lb. Mushroom Swiss GrillBurger | $6.19 |
| 1/2 lb. Cheese GrillBurger | $6.99 |
| 1/4 lb. Cheese GrillBurger | $5.79 |
| Original Cheeseburger | $4.39 |
| Original Double Cheeseburger | $5.39 |
| Chili Cheese Dog | $4.69 |
| Turkey BLT | $6.99 |
Chicken Combo | |
| Chicken Sandwich (Grilled or Crispy) | $6.19 |
| Chicken Bacon Ranch | $6.99 |
| Chicken Mozzarella | $6.99 |
| Chicken Strip Basket 4 Pc | $6.49 |
| Chicken Strip Basket 6 Pc | $7.89 |
Fish | |
| Alaskan Pacific Cod Sandwich | $3.19 |
| Alaskan Pacific Cod Sandwich Combo | $5.39 |
Lunch | |
| Deluxe Cheeseburger Lunch | $5.00 |
| Chicken Strip Lunch 3 Pcs | $5.00 |
| Crispy Chicken Wraps Lunch | $5.00 |
| KC BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Lunch | $5.00 |
Snack Melts | |
| Buffalo Chicken | $1.89 |
| Chicken Bacon BBQ | $1.89 |
| Chicken Quesadilla | $1.89 |
Kids Meals | |
| Hamburger | $5.49 |
| Cheeseburger | $5.49 |
| Chicken Strip 2 Pcs | $5.49 |
Salads | |
| Chicken BLT Salad (Crispy or Grilled) | $6.19 |
| Chicken Garden Greens Salad (Crispy or Grilled) | $6.19 |
| Side Salad | $2.19 |
Sides | |
| Chicken Wrap | $1.89 |
| Fries Regular | $2.19 |
| Fries Large | $2.69 |
| Onion Rings Regular | $2.49 |
| Onion Rings Large | $2.69 |
| Breaded Mushrooms | $2.49 |
| Poutine Regular | $3.29 |
| Poutine Large | $5.99 |
Blizzard Treats | |
| Blizzard Treat Mini | $2.89 |
| Blizzard Treat Small | $3.69 |
| Blizzard Treat Medium | $4.09 |
| Blizzard Treat Large | $4.69 |
| Blizzard Treat Cone | $3.89 |
Classic Treats | |
| Peanut Buster Parfait | $4.39 |
| Banana Split | $4.39 |
| Cone Small | $1.99 |
| Cone Medium | $2.39 |
| Cone Large | $2.69 |
| Dipped Cone Small | $2.39 |
| Dipped Cone Medium | $2.79 |
| Dipped Cone Large | $3.19 |
| Waffle Cone (Plain) | $3.89 |
| Waffle Cone (Chocolate Coated) | $3.89 |
Sundaes | |
| Sundae Small | $2.79 |
| Sundae Medium | $3.09 |
| Sundae Large | $3.39 |
DQ Bakes | |
| Fudge Stuffed Cookie | $4.19 |
| Apple Tart | $4.39 |
| Triple Chocolate Brownie | $4.39 |
Shakes | |
| Shake Mini | $2.99 |
| Shake Small | $3.29 |
| Shake Medium | $3.89 |
| Shake Large | $4.59 |
MooLatte | |
| MooLatte Small | $3.49 |
| MooLatte Medium | $3.99 |
| MooLatte Large | $4.59 |
Arctic Rush | |
| Arctic Rush Small | $1.69 |
| Arctic Rush Medium | $1.99 |
| Arctic Rush Large | $2.29 |
Soft Drinks | |
| Soft Drink Small | $1.79 |
| Soft Drink Medium | $1.99 |
| Soft Drink Large | $2.19 |
Orange Julius | |
| Premium Fruit Smoothie Small | $2.99 |
| Premium Fruit Smoothie Medium | $3.49 |
| Premium Fruit Smoothie Large | $3.99 |
| Julius Original Small | $3.19 |
| Julius Original Medium | $3.39 |
| Julius Original Large | $3.89 |
We are not affiliated with the providers of the above goods/services in any way. The prices above should serve as a guide only. | |
Dairy Queen’s history goes back nearly 80 years, to the first location in 1940. Soft-serve ice cream was a new invention that its inventor considered to be a “queen among dairy products.”
They shortened the phrase down to Dairy Queen, and history was made. Let’s look at more about Dairy Queen’s storied past.
Where Did Dairy Queen Originate?
You can trace Dairy Queen’s history back more than 80 years to August 4, 1938. John Fremont McCullough and his son Alex were testing a soft frozen dairy treat and convince a family friend, Sherb Noble, to let them sell the treat in his ice cream store.
Over the course of two hours, they dished up more than 1,600 frozen treats, and people were hooked.
How Old Is Dairy Queen?
The first Dairy Queen location opened in Joliet, Illinois in 1940. By 1941, Dairy Queen had 10 restaurants. They grew to 100 locations in 1947, and all the way to 2,600 by 1955.
Canada contributed to the massive growth over the eight-year span from 1947 to 1955, with the first Dairy Queen north of the border opening in 1953 in Estevan, Saskatchewan.
Dairy Queen continued to expand to countries around the world over the next several decades. There are nearly 6,000 locations across the globe now.
The Origins of DQ Soft Serve Ice Cream
Up until the late 1930s, there was no such thing as “soft-serve” ice cream. The only ice cream you would find is what we now consider “hard” ice cream.
Before that fateful day when they sold 1,600 servings in two hours, the McCulloughs discovered that lowering the butterfat content of the ice cream, keeping it at a slightly warmer temperature, and mixing it with some air when serving it would let them serve the soft treat we all know and love.
The secret to making it work was a modified custard machine that would keep this new creation at the right temperature and let them serve it up at will. The signature “curl” on every DQ cone, which is created with a twist of the wrist when serving it, has been passed down ever since.
Milestone Years in Dairy Queen History
With nearly 80 years of history, there are a lot of milestones in the Dairy Queen story. But some of them are particularly memorable, especially their best-known treats.
The first foray beyond cones, sundaes, and tubs of ice cream were malts and shakes in 1949. Those were followed by banana splits in 1951, still one of their most popular menu items.
The world-famous Dilly Bar was added in 1955, and the “Brazier” locations that started selling burgers and other food followed soon after in 1958.
Dairy Queen’s Mr. Misty slushies came on the scene in 1961 and the Buster Bar later that same decade, in 1968.
If you were a kid in the 1970s (or at least a kid-at-heart) you might remember the word scrumpdillyishus. If you said the magic word when you ordered, you could get a Peanut Buster Parfait for only 49 cents.
The Blizzard Hits the Scene
Dairy Queen’s Blizzard treat has probably been their most famous menu item since it was introduced in 1985. They sold over 100 million Blizzards that first year.
The Blizzard dates back even further, though, to the 1960s. The original Blizzard was a thick milkshake that was so thick and creamy, they could be tipped upside down without spilling. That tradition carried over to the current Blizzards, with a company policy stating that employees have to flip them upside down when they’re handing them to the customer.
Dairy Queen in Canada
The first Dairy Queen opened in Canada in 1953. The original treats they sold were 5-cent cones, 10-cent sundaes, and 25-cent pints of soft-serve ice cream to take home with you.
Prices have changed a bit over the years but DQ still sells those same items across Canada today.
Another early Dairy Queen location in Canada was Port Colborne, Ontario. That restaurant is still open today and still has the same 1950’s design. It’s the only DQ location that still uses that original design and is popular with tourists for its retro look as much as the treats they offer.
Canada plays an interesting part in another bit of history that’s related to Dairy Queen. The Blizzard treat was so popular that McDonald’s wanted to get in on the action as well. They came up with the McFlurry, which was first introduced in 1995 in New Brunswick, Canada.
Famous People Connected with Dairy Queen
The McFlurry isn’t the only connection between Dairy Queen and McDonald’s though. Ray Kroc, McDonalds’ founder, started his career by selling cups and mixing machines to Dairy Queen restaurants. He was quite open about how his experiences dealing with Dairy Queen taught him about fast food franchising.
Ray Kroc isn’t the only famous name associated with Dairy Queen. The actress Bonnie Hunt and singers Martina McBride and Gwen Stefani were all DQ employees in their youth.
And not only was Gwen Stefani a DQ employee, but she also worked there with her brother and John Spence. The three often talked about starting a band while they were at work, which of course they did when they formed No Doubt.
Another well-known name that’s associated with Dairy Queen is Warren Buffett. Once while he was dining at the Four Seasons in New York, he asked staffers to pick up some DQ ice cream for dessert. In fact, he loves it so much, he bought the company. International Dairy Queen (IDQ) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Buffett’s investment firm, Berkshire Hathaway.
Information About Dairy Queen Canada’s Menu
The list of items on the menu has grown and changed over the years of Dairy Queen history. Those original soft-serve cones are still there, along with all the treats they’ve introduced over the years.
And their Brazier locations sell burgers, chicken strips, and other food items alongside those frozen treats. If you’re looking for information about Dairy Queen’s menu in Canada, or any other major fast-food restaurant, check out Cost Finder Canada.
