For generations of Americans, Dairy Queen has been tied to summer memories—Blizzards after baseball games, chocolate-dipped cones on hot afternoons and burgers during family road trips.

But in several communities, customers are finding their local Dairy Queen gone.

At least 46 Dairy Queen locations have closed across the United States since early 2025, including a recent round of shutdowns that left Alaska with only one remaining restaurant.

Three Alaska locations—in Anchorage, Wasilla and Palmer—closed on June 30 after their franchise operator stopped doing business. Dairy Queen confirmed the closures but did not identify the owner or explain why the restaurants shut down.

The closures leave Soldotna as the chain’s only remaining location in Alaska.

A longtime Dairy Queen in Great Falls, Montana, also closed earlier this summer after nearly 40 years in business. The building is expected to reopen as a Mediterranean restaurant.

The largest group of closures occurred in Texas, where franchise operator Project Lonestar shut down 42 restaurants following a dispute with Dairy Queen.

The company said the operator lost its franchise rights after failing to complete required restaurant renovations. Once those rights were terminated, the locations were no longer able to order supplies through Dairy Queen.

A company spokesperson called the Texas shutdowns an isolated situation involving one franchise group. The operators involved have not filed for bankruptcy protection.

Despite the closures, Dairy Queen remains a major international chain. Founded in 1940, the company operates roughly 7,800 restaurants in more than 20 countries.

For customers in the affected towns, however, the numbers matter less than the loss of a familiar local stop—and one fewer place to pick up a Blizzard, dipped cone or other summertime favorite.