Who Owns Dairy Queen?

Dairy Queen was founded in 1940 by John Fremont McCullough and his son Alex McCullough in Joliet, Illinois. The first Dairy Queen store opened on June 22, 1940, selling soft serve ice cream and other frozen treats. The company's signature product was the soft serve ice cream, which the McCulloughs developed using a secret formula. This founding vision demonstrated exceptional insight into the growing demand for frozen treats while establishing a distinctive approach that would define the fast food category for generations.

Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Dairy Queen expanded rapidly across the United States, introducing new products including the Dilly Bar ice cream bar and the famous Blizzard treat. The company became known for its family-friendly atmosphere and innovative frozen dessert offerings. This period of expansion demonstrated Dairy Queen's exceptional ability to scale operations while maintaining consistent brand positioning and quality standards that would define the brand for decades.

In 1970, Dairy Queen was acquired by International Dairy Queen, Inc., which continued to expand the chain and introduce new menu items including burgers, fries, and other fast food options. The company grew to become one of the largest fast food chains in the United States. This strategic acquisition demonstrated Dairy Queen's exceptional ability to integrate into larger corporate structures while maintaining its core brand identity and market leadership in the frozen dessert market.

In 1998, Berkshire Hathaway acquired Dairy Queen, bringing the fast food chain under Warren Buffett's ownership. Under Berkshire's management, Dairy Queen has continued to operate as a franchise-based system while maintaining its focus on quality products and customer service. This strategic transformation demonstrated Dairy Queen's exceptional ability to integrate into a major conglomerate while maintaining its core brand identity and operational excellence. The brand's continued evolution represents a significant milestone in the evolution of American fast food and consumer-focused restaurant solutions.