Fans of Dairy Queen’s famous Blizzard ice cream have fewer places to grab the frozen treat after the company closed 46 franchise stores across the .
Dairy Queen shuts down 46 franchise locations; Texas hit the hardest
The closures have happened since early 2025, with Texas being hit the hardest. Out of the 46 stores that shut down, 42 were in Texas, while recent closures in and Montana have added to the total.
The closures were linked to a dispute between Dairy Queen and one of its largest franchise operators, Project Lonestar. According to reports, the franchisee failed to complete required renovations at its restaurants, leading Dairy Queen to end its franchise agreements.
Once those agreements ended, the stores could no longer operate as Dairy Queen outlets.
The latest closures came in Alaska, where three Dairy Queen restaurants in Anchorage, Wasilla and Palmer shut their doors at the end of June. That has left just one Dairy Queen location operating in the state, in Soldotna. A long-running Dairy Queen in Great Falls, , also closed after serving customers for 39 years.
The closures come at a time when many restaurant chains across the US are facing higher food, labour and operating costs. Rising prices have also led many consumers to cut back on eating out and buying treats such as ice cream.
Despite the closures, Dairy Queen says the situation is not part of a nationwide shutdown. The company, which was founded in 1940 and has been owned by Berkshire Hathaway since 1998, still operates around 7,800 restaurants in more than 20 countries. It is also continuing to expand in some markets, including plans to open 20 new Grill & Chill restaurants in Puerto Rico.
Dairy Queen has continued to launch new Blizzard flavours and seasonal promotions, signalling that the brand remains focused on growth even as some franchise locations close. For many customers, however, the loss of their local Dairy Queen means they will have to travel further for one of the chain’s best-known desserts.
