Dairy Queen Blog

That’s correct, the Blizzard Treat is celebrating its 25th birthday in 2010!!! This means that the Blizzard was launched in 1985.  What was going on in 1985? Here are some fun facts about the Blizzard and the year 1985:

Average cost of new house $89,330
Average income per year $22,100
1 gallon of gas: $1.09
Movie ticket: $2.75
U.S. postage stamp: 22 cents

Popular Films: “Back to the Future” / “Rocky IV” / “The Color Purple” / “Out of Africa” / “Cocoon” / “Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment”

Popular Musicians: Duran Duran / Simple Minds / Madonna with ” Crazy for You ” / Bruce Springsteen / Dire Straits with ” Money for Nothing ” / The Cure / David Bowie / Phil Collins

” We Are The World ” By USA For Africa featuring many artists for Aid For Africa

Other interersting facts about 1985:

Microsoft Corporation releases the first version of Windows, Windows 1.0. / Compact Discs are introduced to American consumers / The space shuttle Atlantis is launched

Just for giggles a picture of me from 1985 and today!

Blizzard Facts:

• In 1985, the Dairy Queen® system began blending simple combinations of candies, fruit, cookies, nuts and DQ® soft serve to create the signature Blizzard Flavor Treat. 
• The Blizzard is the Dairy Queen system’s single greatest dessert innovation in 23 years.  More than 100 million were sold during its inaugural year.
• Since its introduction, more than 75 Blizzard Flavors have been introduced, including Caramel Waffle Crisp, Tin Roof Brownie, Chocolate Xtreme and Strawberry CheeseQuake®.
• The top five Blizzard flavors are: Oreo® Cookie, chocolate chip cookie dough, M&M’s®, Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cups and Butterfinger®.
• Dairy Queen locations in China serve Green Tea Blizzard Treats.
• On June 21, 2005, the Dairy Queen system garnered a Guinness Worlds Record for the largest frozen treat. Built in Springfield, Mass., to celebrate the Blizzard Treats 20th birthday, the 22-foot, 8,224.85 pound Blizzard Treat was made with 2,575 pounds of crushed Oreo Cookies and 705 gallons of DQ soft serve.
• In August 2002, a man coined “the DQ Blizzard Guy” completed his goal of eating a Blizzard Flavor Treat in every state with a visit to a Dairy Queen restaurant in Alaska for his 50th Blizzard Treat.

The marketing gurus at the corporate headquarters have lots of great things planned this year to celebrate the birthday of the Blizzard Treat. Some I can tell you about in this blog, and some…  well, you’ll just have to wait until we can spill those beans.

In celebration of the 25th Blizzard Birthday, the DQ system is  launching a “25 Flavors for 25 Years” Blizzard menu. What does this mean? Well, as you enter your local DQ restaurant, you will notice a special 25 Flavors for 25 Years Blizzard menu. The flavors included in this menu are past and present favorites.

Over the next 12 months, I will try two of the 25 Blizzard flavors each month (and three in July!), working my way through the entire menu.  I will share my thoughts on each (including a Blizzard Spoon Rating), along with fun facts about the Blizzard Treat and the past 25 years.  Join me on this Blizzard 25th Birthday challenge and try each of the Blizzard Treats on the 25-for-25 menu over the next 12 months! Then come here and tell us your favorites in each of the four categories–”Cookie Lovers,” “Candy Cravers,” “Fruit Fans” and “Chocoholics.”

Here’s a picture of the categories and menu:

Our Blizzard 25th Challenge Schedule:

Chocoholics:

• Jan. 11: Turtle Pecan Cluster
• Jan. 18: French Silk Pie
• Feb. 2: Chocolate Xtreme
• Feb. 16: Midnight Truffle
• March 9: Georgia Mud Fudge
• March 23: Mocha Chip