People line up for treats every March 1 at this Minnesota Dairy Queen as tradition
MOORHEAD, Minn. — It’s still winter in Minnesota, but for people waiting in line Sunday in single-digit cold at the Moorhead Dairy Queen, spring is in the air.
The annual March 1 opening of the 77-year-old walk-in ice cream parlor is a tradition, whatever the weather. Heavy snowfall, freezing cold: people will brave a blizzard for a blizzard.
“It just shows that we are tough and there are things that are really important to us,” said Jerry Protextor, a retired pastor waiting in line for a butterscotch milkshake and a Mint Chocolate Blizzard. “It’s just a part of the community.”
March is a winter month in the Upper Midwest, although the weather can vary wildly. The annual opening of the Dairy Queen “heritage store” brings the hope of spring and a familiar promise for people who need something to look forward to, especially with the turmoil rocking the world, owners Troy and Diane DeLeon said.
“It’s a feeling of togetherness. It’s a tradition for many families,” Diane DeLeon said.
On average, 1,200 customers go there on opening day. Some arrive early and wait in their cars. Being at the front of the line gives you bragging rights all year long.
Julie Bergseid arrived before 7 a.m. to be first after two consecutive years as second.
“Usually there’s a little line after a while, so you have to get here before they start,” she said. “It’s important that it’s the start of spring, whatever the temperature. It starts with going to the DQ, buying your first ice cream of the season.”
Bundled up in snow pants, long underwear, wool socks and mittens, she planned to sit at a patio table and enjoy her barbecue, peanut butter parfait and a frozen dill treat.
“It won’t melt. That’s the good thing,” Bergseid said.
Customers can choose from a range of treats found almost nowhere else. Favorites include Mr. Malty, a frozen malt chocolate on a stick; a Curly Shake, a shake at the bottom and a sundae at the top; a Monkey Tail, a frozen banana dipped in chocolate on a stick; and a variety of discontinued Blizzard flavors.
“It’s just that we’ve always had and made these special treats over the years. Even though they’ve been discontinued, we still have them because we have the ingredients and why not make them?” » said Troy DeLeon. “If you still have the ingredients, our feeling is ‘give the customer what they want.’
The store is grandfathered in to some extent because of its age and focuses on customer service and selling unique items, he said.
The butterscotch milkshake Protextor was looking for for his wife can’t be found at any other DQ in the area, he said.
“We need to go to the right Dairy Queen to do what they want,” he said.
Customers in coats, hats and gloves stood apart near the street while others in turn headed to the windows to place their orders. No app or kiosk to order here; just a knack for customer service, the DeLeons said.
People brought dogs and young children and took photos under a towering Dilly bar — a beloved chocolate-covered frozen treat created in the 1950s at Moorhead DQ. It felt a bit like a summer day. Almost.
“It’s beautiful today. I mean, it’s a little chilly, but the sun is shining, it’s going to be a little warmer,” Troy DeLeon said. “Usually it’s either snowing or it’s probably closer to zero or below zero, so it’s a nice day.”
