To a texan, few things can beat a beefy Hungr-Buster and a soft, chocolate-dipped cone complete with the iconic “Q” swirl after travel- ing for hours on Texas highways. Although this fast-food chain got its humble start in Illinois, Dairy Queen has become a true Texas symbol.
In 1934 J.F. McCullough and his family decided they wanted to create a machine that would keep their ice cream frozen but malleable, unlike the harder frozen ice cream at local shops. With the help of one of their loyal customers, Sherb Noble, the crew developed a machine that would serve their ice cream at a soft, 23 degrees Fahrenheit.
The history of the Texas Dairy Queen began more than a decade later, in 1946. Texans loved the taste of DQ’s vanilla soft-serve — creamy but not extremely rich. Since locals took to ice cream shops so well, Texas DQ operators decided to add more value to their investment by adding food to the menu.
To amp up advertising efforts, the Texas Dairy Queen Trade Association, later named the Texas Dairy Queen Operators’ Association (TDQOA), was created. From this organization came some of the most recognizable Texas Dairy Queen delicacies, like the Beltbuster, the Dude chicken fried steak sandwich and the Steak Finger Country Basket. Not only do Texas DQs have exclusive menu items, they keep the phrase “everything’s bigger in Texas” in mind with regard to their burgers — juicy quarter-pound patties, soft five-inch buns and extra sauce.
ROAD ROYALTY Texas Dairy Queens — like the DQ in Orange, Texas (left) — appeared a dozen years after the original store opened in Illinois in 1934.
You can find DQs along Texas highways, in big cities and in small towns. There are almost 600 locations statewide thanks to the TDQOA and Doris Richeson, the first woman appointed to the TDQOA board
of directors (in 1977) and a current franchisee of 61 stores. Richeson played an important role in fighting for the special Texas Dairy Queen menu offerings when International Dairy Queen wanted to take away trademarks. She helped craft the 1981 marketing agreement, which allowed Texas operators to spend their advertising money on Texas-specific marketing, as well as continue development of Texas-only menu items.
Dairy Queen is much more than a place for pit stops, as Pulitzer Prize–winning author and Archer City, Texas, native Larry McMurtry notes in his essay collection Walter Benjamin at the Dairy Queen. Texas Dairy Queens, he writes, are “a meeting place, gathering group, quick lunch, gossip center and more.” Whether you’re taking a long cruise through the state or just making a stop in your hometown, the rich history and delicious royal treats of Texas Dairy Queens are sure to satisfy even the biggest Texas appetite.
