Dairy Queen opened its first restaurant in 1940 in Joliet, Illinois, making it the brand’s first franchise location.
The restaurant was opened by Sherb Noble, who had already tested Dairy Queen soft-serve products at his ice-cream store in Kankakee, Illinois. The Joliet shop helped turn the product into a dedicated restaurant concept rather than simply an item sold by other businesses.
Dairy Queen’s early success came from its soft-serve formula and streamlined service. The company later became known for products such as the Dilly Bar and Blizzard, but the first Joliet location predates both. The original building is recognized as an important site in the chain’s history.
A common mix-up is confusing Dairy Queen’s first restaurant with its first soft-serve sales, which began earlier in Kankakee. The Joliet site is specifically associated with the first Dairy Queen store and the beginning of its franchise system.