Meet The Farm Animal That Inspired An Iconic Restaurant Chain In Illinois
By Linze Rice|Published June 02, 2023
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Linze Rice
Author
Ope! From the rural cornfields of DeKalb County, Linze is an Illinois native and true Midwestern gal who can make a mean bonfire and whip up a perfect marshmallow salad. Since 2014, her bylines and photography have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, and Block Club Chicago/DNAinfo Chicago, Only in Your State, and more. She has interviewed Dolly Parton, written about beloved diners along historic Route 66, visited the last Rainforest Cafe in the Illinois, and reviewed luxurious English manor-inspired hotels. Whether it's writing about a local gem or world-renowned establishment, Linze brings a heartwarming and historical perspective to each story, using facts, wit, and personal experience to impress upon readers the importance of culture, food, travel, and all things local. Her favorite destinations in Illinois include Starved Rock State Park, Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, the charming small town of Sycamore, and historic Rosehill Cemetery. When she's not writing or photographing, Linze enjoys gardening, spending time with her husband and pets, cooking, baking, and grilling, and relaxing with trashy TV.
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.
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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