There is no shortage of incredible food options in Illinois — but sometimes nothing quite hits the spot like a favorite meal from a tried-and-true chain restaurant. And, if you're like me, discovering a fun fact about Illinois behind a beloved diner is always the cherry on top. Though it may not come as a huge shock, I recently found out that a classic farm animal actually inspired the name of an iconic restaurant chain in Illinois.
Dairy Queen is a famous ice cream parlor and fast food restaurant that's popular in the Midwest — yet has a global reach of more than 7,000 locations in 20 countries around the world, according to the company.
However, before becoming a worldwide sensation, the restaurant chain's humble beginnings can be traced back to Illinois. In 1927, J.F. McCullough and his family created the Homemade Ice Cream Company in the small town of Green River, Illinois.
McCullough and his son Alex began to develop an idea to sell cream that was served at a slightly higher temperature than traditional ice cream. The pair convinced friend and ice cream store owner Sherb Noble to let them test the soft-serve concept at his Kankakee, Illinois store with a $0.10 all-you-can-eat special.
The deal was a huge success, with over 1,600 customers being served in just 2 hours. It was then the group knew they were on to something.
In 1938, the very first Dairy Queen store opened at 501 S. West Ave. in Joliet, Illinois, and soon others followed in small towns and suburbs across the state.
But where did the famous Dairy Queen name come from? According to the company, it was inspired by none other than the classic black-and-white dairy cow herself — which McCullough was said to refer to as the "queen of the dairy business."
The building that housed the original Dairy Queen still exists as a Joliet landmark, but no longer acts as a Dairy Queen. However, the Noble family continues to own and operate a number of first-run locations in the Kankakee and Aurora areas that date back to the 1940s-60s.
With the backing of the "queen of the dairy business," DQ has gone on to be one of the most legendary restaurant chains in America, continuing to offer its soft-serve in cones, sundaes, and cakes.
Did you know the dairy cow was the inspiration behind the name of this iconic restaurant chain in Illinois (and the country)? What's your favorite thing to order from Dairy Queen? Do you know any other fun facts about Illinois? Tell us in the comments! Start planning your next quick bite by checking out the Dairy Queen website and the Dairy Queen Facebook page. And if you head out to Joliet, Illinois, make sure to stop by this old (and possibly haunted) prison for a tour!
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