From Afar to Texas Star: The State’s Most Iconic Restaurant Wasn’t Born Here

You know that burger joint you can find in nearly every town in Texas? The hub affectionately known as the "Texas Stop Sign"? That place renowned for its chocolate-dipped ice cream cones and other frozen treats?

A longtime landmark in the Lone Star, Dairy Queen once had over a thousand locations in the state. Often the only eating establishments in rural Texas towns, DQ has offered not only a varied menu, but a place for locals to gather and socialize. In these towns, where dining options are limited, Dairy Queen is not simply a restaurant - it's the town square. And to put it how the jingle puts it, that's what we like about Texas. 

Dairy Queen may have been bred in Texas, but she wasn't born here. This girl made her world debut in Joliet, Illinois, in 1940. About six years later, the first DQ arrived in the Lone Star, and the rest is history. There are currently 582 DQ restaurants in the state of Texas (Ohio comes in a distant second, with 254 restaurants).

Get our free mobile app

In my perusal of the DQ website for this article, naturally I had to do a deep dive on the Blizzard menu. I'm not much of a fast-food fan but - ain't gonna lie - DQ Blizzards are pretty bodacious. I noticed the Frosted Animal Cookie Blizzard is on the board this summer. Looks like I'll be planning a visit to Dairy Queen in the next month.

If you're not a DQ fan but yearning for some frozen treats in the Abilene area, we have local options too. Try Mary's Paleteria, 2 Profs, Roll Shack, or Dad's Ice Cream.