Childhood Memories and DQ® Treats
Posted by PR Wonk under A Smile and a Story® on
Growing up in a small, rural farming community on the southwest Minnesota prairie (not all that far from the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder), the summers were short and hot and the winters were long and cold. As kids, we were usually bored out of our minds and there never seemed like there was anything exciting to do. However, I still look back upon my childhood and yearn for those days when life was much simpler. I consider myself lucky because a good share of my adolescence was spent with friends, usually hanging out at our local Dairy Queen® store, which was the hub of activity for young and old alike in our little town. I specifically remember the sweet, delicious smells that hit you as soon as you opened the door. I remember eating a soft serve cone dipped in chocolate or with cone crunch sprinkled on it. I also fondly remember getting a DQ® Jet, which was either vanilla or chocolate soft serve frozen in a paper tube and you could push it up from the bottom as you ate it. Frozen Mr. Misty® push-ups were also a favorite of mine and my friends on a summer afternoon. So tell me, if you could travel back in your proverbial time machine, what DQ product would you bring back with you to enjoy once again?
Comments
I loved the Mr. Misty. Spilled one in the back seat of Dad’s new car! Many very fond memories of our small town DQ!!
I grew up in a small copper mine town in Bisbee AZ. I lived a block from the Dairy Queen. I would pull out grey hair from my Mom and she would give me a penny for each one. I could get a cone for .15 cents. Because I’m 1 of 6 kids it would only be on paydays we could get a sundae. On other days we could get a treat like a crunch cone. or Dilly Bar. I still LOVE the Dairy Queen. I remember I wanted to grow up and work there. We have one in the town I live at now, but I never worked there. I still would like to work there. I think it would be cool making people happy like it makes me when I go. Love you Dairy Queen!!!
Abby,
I think we all spilled our Mr. Misty drinks in cars, on the living room rug, on our T-shirts….I don’t think I ever drank one without spilling! Great memory and know that you can still get that same drink only now it’s known as an Artic Rush. Give it a try….but be sure to wear a bib!!
Eileen,
Thanks for your comment and remember it is never too late to hone your DQ skills! Hey, I graduated from DQ school back in 1988 and still have what it takes to make that perfect curl on the top of a cone or sundae. DQ is a great place to work and visit! It’s never hard to put a smile on a customer’s face with a DQ product….no matter what it looks like! Let us know when you’ve perfected your cone making!! I’m sure you have what it takes to make a great DQ employee!
I loved the push-up JETS, and in Canada we got them in a wide variety of flavours, including chocolate, vanilla, orange, and black licorice. To this day, I love licorice ice cream, due to having had JETS as a kid. We used to go to DQ every Sunday in summer, after church, and then drive to the river bottom and visit the dog pound. Fond memories from over 40 years ago!
HI DAIRY QUEEN…..I REMEBER GOING TO BLIZZERD CAKS FOR MY CHILDERNS BRITHDAYS GRANDCHILDERNS BRITHDAYS AND BLIZZARDS GROWING UP IN THE CITY. IN Regina SASK.CANADA IT IS NEET WE COULD JUST WALK DOWN THE STREET AND GET A GOOD TREAT MMMM GOOD SO AS A KID/MOM/GRANDMA I LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING. DAIRY QUEEN TO OUR CITY.
Lori,
Great memories. I remember vanilla and chocolate push-ups only. Our location didn’t have orange or black licorice. Glad we played a small part of your childhood memories. Thanks for the comment!
Francis,
Always great to hear from our DQ fans in Regina, SASK! I lived only three blocks away from our DQ as well, so it was an easy bike, walk or run away anytime we had a few dimes, nickels and quarters burning a hole in our pockets for a cool and creamy DQ treat. Thanks for visiting us and making us a a favourite place to visit in your community.
The SMORE GALORE was the BEST DQ treat of ALL TIME! My life has just not been the same since it has been gone. The graham crackery pieces…the marshmallow creme…the cocoa fudge…was there some kind of coconutty inredient in there? Nothing compares to the Smore Galore Parfait. Please PLEASE bring it back!!! : )
grew up as a little girl in Flagstaff, AZ..my fondest memorie of DQ was the cherry dipped vanilla cones. It wasn’t until I moved to suburb in L.A. about 10 years ago, did I find a DQ anywhere in Los Angeles… and they had cherry dipped cones!
Haven’t been in awhile but last time I was there they did not have them anymore… if you can, please bring them back.
I am trying to find crunch cones in southern California,if anyone has any info I would be forever in your debt.
The cherry dipped cones are something that can vary store by store. It is up to each store owner to determine what cone toppings they want to carry. Sorry to hear that your DQ in LA didn’t carry it!
I grew up in a small town in southern Kansas. Kingman to be exact. My memories are much the same as the ones y’all have shared. Hot summers spent at the city swimming pool, at the river fishing, lots of baseball and regular visits to the DQ. My all time favorite was the CRUNCH CONE! I live in Texas now and our DQs don’t have crunch cones. I’ve tried to describe this treat to my wife, kids and any other unfortunate soul who has never had one but words can’t seem to do it justice. I’d love to know if there are any DQs in central Texas that sell crunch cones. I’d even be willing to buy just the crunch mix if it’s available. I feel your pain Tom.
I remember eating jets at DQ in Melville,Sk which I believe was the first Dairy Queen in Canada.
Please bring back the stawberry sodas they were soooo good and the orange push ups!!! I would go to my grandmothers in Estevan, Sask and they would sell them but not anymore
Sorry Darcy, the first DQ in Canada was in Estevan. I see Melville is trying to steal that credit, but got caught! check out question 6 in FAQ section, for the official proof.
My dad Robert Hamilton was the owner of the Dairy Queen in Saskatcaewan,Back in the early 60′s . I have many memories of that dairy queen my mother Harlean worked there also I was obviously spoiled rotten with the delicious treats from the store
One memory of that Dairy Queen , was the butcher shop next door & the good people that worked there & the movie theater across the street . My father went on to owning another dairy queen in Vancouver B.C. That one was & still is a “brazier” type as they called them back in the 70′s .
Also my uncle James Hamilton was the owner of the Dairy Queen on first ave. in Vancouver B.C Both my uncle James & my father have passed away since , but every time I have a mr. misty or dipped cone [b]I feel like my father is still right here beside me ![/b]
M~ thanks for writing and sharing your memories with us! How delightful that you can bring back memories of your father and uncle like this.
I grew up in Regina, Sk. in the 50,s & 60,S and lived 2 blocks from the DQ. I loved the chocolate, strawberry, & vanilla jets. Where did they go? I also remeber the Dilly Bars and still enjoy them now at the DQ. All the ice cream treats were wonderful growing up to curly cones, dilly bars, jets and milk shakes.
Hi, Carolyn! I have no idea what a “jet” is. I am sorry — it must have been a regional offering. Thanks for sharing your memories with us!
I remember the jets too. Our DQ only made them in vanilla, but the top was rolled in red sugar crystals. Yum!