How Much Does It Cost to Open a Dairy Queen

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Ice cream manufacturer J.F. McCullough was experimenting with a recipe for a new frozen dairy product, stemming from his belief that ice cream tasted better when it was soft and served fresh from the freezer, not frozen solid. With his recipe perfected, McCullough and his son, Alex, convinced one of their customers to hold an introductory sale of the new soft ice cream, and more than 1,600 people showed up to try it. Based on that initial success, the McCulloughs opened the first Dairy Queen location in 1940 in Joliet, Illinois. The first stores sold only soft-serve ice cream--in sundaes, take-home pints and quarts, and cones--but over the years, a variety of ice cream treats were added to the menu, such as banana splits and Dilly Bars. In the 1950s, some Dairy Queens began serving hot food items. Today, stores system wide have menus that include hot dogs, hamburgers and chicken strips through Dairy Queen's Grill & Chill concept. The company also offers a DQ Treat concept that offers both Dairy Queen's frozen treats and the sister company's fruit drinks and smoothies.

Leadership

Jim Kerr, EVP, Franchise Development

Franchising Since

1940 (81 years)

Where seeking

This company is seeking new franchisees worldwide.

This company is seeking new franchisees in the following international regions: Asia, Middle East, Central America, Canada, South America, Mexico

# of Units

7,087 (as of 2021)

Corporate Address

8000 Tower, #700, 8331 Norman Center Dr.
Bloomington, MN 55437

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Dairy Queen franchise.

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee

$45,000

Initial Investment

$1,151,155 - $1,936,655

Net Worth Requirement

$750,000

Cash Requirement

$400,000

Term of Agreement

20 years

Is franchise term renewable?

Yes

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing

Dairy Queen has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training

245 hours

Classroom Training

32 hours

Additional Training

At existing DQ store

Ongoing Support

Security & Safety Procedures

Franchisee Intranet Platform

Marketing Support

Marketing Planning & Support

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?

Yes

Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit?

No

Can this franchise be run part time?

No

# of employees required to run

20-100

Are exclusive territories available?

No

Compare where Dairy Queen landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.

Curious to know where Dairy Queen ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.

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Disclaimer

The information on this page is not intended as an endorsement or recommendation of any particular franchise by Entrepreneur Media. Our franchise listings and rankings are solely research tools you can use to compare franchise operations. Entrepreneur stresses that you should always conduct your own independent investigation before investing in a franchise. That should include reviewing the franchisor's legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant, and talking to former and current franchisees.

Updated: February 8th, 2021

How Much Does It Cost to Open a Dairy Queen

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchise/dairyqueen/282267

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