Dairy Queen

We’re not going to claim to be huge fans of Dairy Queen any more, but there was a time when the gulf between DQ’s soft serve and premium ice creams served elsewhere wasn’t as huge as it is today. Decades ago, the chocolate-coated, peanut-filled Buster Bars weren’t so icy inside, and their fudge filling seemed generous, rather than modestly and meticulously measured.

Similarly, Dairy Queen’s ice cream cones were creamy enough to enjoy without distinctive flavors beyond chocolate or vanilla – but made better when dipped into a instant hardening chocolate coating. Additional dip flavors, including butterscotch and cherry, have been unceremoniously discontinued and then restored to the menu for reasons unknown.

Most locations still have refrigerators with ice cream cakes – now $40 to $50 each – as well as boxes of Dilly Bars with chocolate, Heath bar, cherry, or butterscotch dips, plus ice cream sandwiches and Buster Bars. All are fine, thanks to their “reduced fat ice cream.”