As Dairy Queen nixes cherry-dipped cone, a look back at other lost DQ treats
MINNEAPOLIS -- Purveyor of ice cream, and breaker of hearts, Dairy Queen has announced that it will discontinue cherry-dipped soft serve ice cream cones.
Unfortunately for cherry-dipped cone lovers, this isn't the first time the ice cream magnet has discontinued their favorite treat. The cherry-dipped cone in particular has been eliminated -- and returned -- to regional and nationwide menus multiple times in the past few years.
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This got us thinking...what other sweet treats have been lost to the annals of Dairy Queen history?
Of a bygone era
One might think that Dairy Queen has a particular agenda against cherry-flavored items as the cherry-dipped cone is not the first cherry-inspired treat to be retired.
In 2015, Dairy Queen announced that the cherry-topped sundae was to be discontinued. The cherry-topped sundae dates back to the ice cream corporation's earliest roots, becoming a mainstay on menus for nearly 80 years.
It was one of the longest and most beloved treats Dairy Queen had to offer -- you can even see it featured prominently in this vintage ad here.
Speaking of a bygone era...another treat that found itself on the chopping block was the butterscotch-dipped soft-serve ice cream cone. I think we're starting to see a trend emerging.
Dairy Queen took this item off the menu in 2009, and has been hearing about it ever since. Customers admit that butterscotch flavoring may not have the same star power as it once did, but there's something nostalgic about it and therefore the public agreed it should be up to Dairy Queen to keep butterscotch alive.
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The never-ending dipped cone saga
Over the years, Dairy Queen has explored a number of flavors for their dipped soft-serve ice cream cones. In the spring of 2019, Dairy Queen launched the Dreamsicle dipped cone, and in 2022 and 2023 launched additional flavors including Fruity Blast -- a cereal-flavored dip -- and churro.
Dairy Queen has even tried their hand at a pumpkin-flavored dipped cone. As if there weren't enough pumpkin-spice flavored items.
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Our patience is growing THIN
One of the best parts about Dairy Queen is its adventurous spirit. Aside from menu staples, the ice cream maker has never shied away from trying something new and giving it a test drive through a seasonal run.
Arguably one of the most popular seasonal experiments was the Girl Scout Thin Mints Blizzard. A top-selling cookie since 1951, mixed with one of the best frozen treats to come out of 1985? Sounds like a match made in heaven.
This minty treat appeared on menus in 2008 and disappeared just as quickly as it came. In 2003, part of Dairy Queen's marketing strategy included a "Blizzard of the Month" promotion, introducing new temporary flavors that would take residence on menus for a short period of time.
The Thin Mints Blizzard fell victim to this marketing strategy's revolving door, devastating customers of both the Blizzard and Thin Mints. The Thin Mints Blizzard has made a few comebacks, coming out of retirement to make a return on the Blizzard of the Month menu in 2022, but it seems like Dairy Queen has no plans to make it a permanent item.
Blizzard Breeze: Froyo before it was cool (again)
Trying to ride the wave of the 1980s frozen yogurt trend, Dairy Queen presented their take -- a Blizzard Breeze -- in 1990. The Blizzard Breeze swapped out soft serve for frozen yogurt and was served with fruit instead of traditional candy toppings.
Unfortunately, at the time, customers were just not ready for this product. The frozen yogurt fad faded out quickly, leaving the Breeze in the dust. Surprisingly, the Blizzard Breeze stayed on the menu until 2000.
Who knew that some 10 years after that, frozen yogurt would again have its time in the sun? The Blizzard Breeze was a pioneer, to say the least.
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Honorable mentions
Other unique treats that may be harder to find include chocolate-flavored soft serve, chocolate sprinkles, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, the s'mores shake, and the red velvet blizzard.
Some stores may still choose to carry these items, but their availability is unfortunately on a store-by-store basis. And unfortunately for the chocolate sprinkle lovers of the world, production of this item -- in the U.S. -- has decreased significantly in the last several years, with some retailers complaining manufacturers are not using enough cocoa powder in the recipes to give the sprinkles the sweetness they need.
If you'd like to learn more about some of the items that've been pulled from Dairy Queen's rotation, click here.
