In 1938, the McCullough family invented soft-serve ice cream. At a friend’s store, John Fremont and his son Alex “tested” the new product. The experiment’s results were promising: customers sorted over 1,500 portions in just one day. As a result, prospective entrepreneurs should create a special freezer to keep the ideal temperature. They only opened their own business after that, which quickly grew into a franchise network.

Every American knew about Dairy Queen soft serve ice cream in the second half of the 1950s. However, this was not enough for the brand’s owners, who expanded the menu to include hot foods such as hamburgers and hot dogs. Berkshire Hathaway purchased DQ in the late 1990s and continued to develop the successful concept.

Fast-food restaurants have become well known for providing delectable treats for family vacations. Furthermore, many branches now look exactly like they did in the 1950s: the chain leaders purposefully kept the old design to create a nostalgic atmosphere. Only the logo has changed; the structure has remained unchanged since 1958.

The sign has long used a red ellipse with a pointed tip as a symbol. Previously, they were adorned with images of ice cream and adorable Eskimo girls. However, Dairy Queen’s identity has become more unified in recent years: the brand’s main trademark is the letter “DQ” in a red figure with two orange and blue lines.

The debut logo is not at all like modern logos. It says “RATU DAIRY” in black on a square background with partially rounded corners. There are no serifs on the letters, and the only decorative element is a thin grey line running down the center of each stroke. In 1940, this sign adorned the first DQ restaurant sign. Most of the time, it rises above the building’s roof and is combined with other elements such as soft serve ice cream or Eskimos dressed in national costumes.

The fast food chain received a new graphic symbol in 1958. That is when the current Dairy Queen style was established. The previous logo’s full brand name has been retained, but the design has changed dramatically. The letters are now white, and the typography has changed shape, remaining geometric but with high-contrast flying machines and smooth curves. All letters except the first are changed to lowercase at the same time.

The text is set against a tear-shaped red ellipse with two pointed ends. At first glance, the base does not appear to be symmetrical: the right corner appears to be longer than the left. Both parts were the same in the 1970s. When used as a building marker, this sign includes a picture of an ice cream cone. Although the font has survived on some cutlery, and the logo itself can still be found in retro-designed restaurants, including Anglo shops, this is no longer relevant.

Dairy Queen updated their logo in 2001 to keep up with the times. Previously, the name was sometimes abbreviated to DQ, but the abbreviation received official brand status in 2001. The logo reflects this innovation. The “Dairy Queen” lettering has been removed following a minor redesign. The capital letters “D” and “Q” take their place, remaining white and using an unusual font – a strange geometric. However, the ellipse’s base has changed to a dark pink color. Because the classically shaped badge ensures brand recognition, the experimentation is limited to color.