Hundreds of customers lined up in single-digit temperatures on Sunday outside the Moorhead Dairy Queen in Moorhead, Minnesota, marking the 76th annual March 1 opening of the historic walk-up ice cream shop.
The tradition, which draws an average of 1,200 customers on opening day, has become a regional ritual signaling the start of spring—regardless of what the thermometer says.
In a World of Apps and Kiosks, This Place Doesn’t Budge
In an era of digital ordering and chain uniformity, the Moorhead Dairy Queen represents something increasingly rare: a community institution unchanged by time.
The store, open since August 1, 1949, still operates without apps or kiosks, still hand-dips its Dilly Bars, and still serves discontinued Blizzard flavors and regional specialties unavailable anywhere else in the Dairy Queen system.
For owners Troy and Diane DeLeon, who have run the store since 1995, the March 1 opening is less about ice cream and more about offering continuity in uncertain times.
The DQ That Invented the Dilly Bar
The Moorhead Dairy Queen holds a unique place in fast food history.
In 1955, two brothers developed the original Dilly Bar on the store’s premises—blending soft serve, a tongue depressor stick, and chocolate coating—and the store has hand-made them ever since. The store is considered a “heritage store” within the Dairy Queen system, grandfathered into its own standards due to its age and legacy.
Its menu includes items found nowhere else: the Mr. Malty, a chocolate malt frozen on a stick; the Curly Shake, a shake on the bottom and sundae on top; the Monkey Tail, a frozen banana dipped in chocolate; and the butterscotch milkshake. The store also continues to offer discontinued Blizzard flavors as long as ingredients remain available.
Opening day has become competitive.
Julie Bergseid arrived before 7 a.m. Sunday to finally claim the first-in-line spot after two consecutive years as runner-up—bundled in snow pants, wool socks, and mittens, with plans to sit at a patio table regardless. The coldest opening day on record came in 2014, when the high temperature was -11°F. Sunday’s single-digit conditions were, by comparison, considered a good day.
What People Are Saying
Moorhead Dairy Queen: “The Moorhead Dairy Queen was opened in 1949 by Bob and Phyllis Litherland as one of the original stores in the Dairy Queen system. Bob and Phyllis combined their passion for ice cream and handmade treats with their love for the city of Moorhead, MN and her people. Over the years, the Litherlands created a myriad of dishes made from fresh ingredients, which their loyal patrons were more than happy to test out. They perfected some of these recipes and made them a permanent part of their menu; and, with a nod to adventure and good humor, others were laid to rest.”
Troy DeLeon, co-owner, told the Associated Press: “Typically it’s either snowing or probably closer to zero or below zero, so this is a beautiful day.”
Diane DeLeon, co-owner, told the AP: “It’s a sense of unity. It’s a tradition for many families.”
Jerry Protextor, customer and retired pastor: “It just says that we’re tough, and there are things that are really important to us. It’s just a part of community.”
Julie Bergseid, first in line: “It’s momentous that this is the start of spring, no matter what the temperature. This starts it, going to the DQ, getting your first ice cream of the season.”
What Happens Next
The Moorhead Dairy Queen will remain open through its seasonal run, with the DeLeons continuing to hand-make more than 2,000 ice cream cakes each season alongside their full menu of heritage treats.
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
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