Dairy Queen, famous for treats like Dilly Bars, Blizzards, and classics like chicken strip baskets and burgers,

has a logo as recognizable as Starbucks. But it’s more than just branding—it carries meaning.

The first Dairy Queen opened in Joliet, Illinois, in 1940 with a soft-serve-only menu. Shakes, banana splits,

and Dilly Bars soon followed, and by 1957, hot food joined the lineup. The original 1950s logo was plain

text on a blue background, sometimes paired with a large soft-serve cone.

In 1960, the logo transformed into a bright red, lip-shaped design with white “Dairy Queen” text, symbolizing

friendliness and warmth. This design lasted over 40 years. By 2001, reflecting customers’ habit of saying “DQ,”

the brand updated the logo to feature only the bold white letters “DQ.”

The 2007 update kept the red lips but added orange and blue curved lines and italicized letters.

The orange arc represents hot foods, while the blue arc stands for cold treats like their iconic soft serve.

Today’s logo is a modernized version of the 1960s design—symbolizing DQ’s dual identity

as both a hot food and cold dessert destination, and remaining a beloved small-town icon.