The First Dairy Queen and a Gap in My Fast Food Project

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the opening of the first Dairy Queen in Joliet, Illinois, on June 22, 1940.

Looking through my fast food project, I realized something.

I don’t have a single Dairy Queen photograph.

Considering the chain’s importance in the history of American fast food, that’s an oversight I need to correct. Dairy Queen helped introduce generations of Americans to soft serve ice cream and became one of the country’s most recognizable fast food chains.

Until I can photograph the real thing, I decided to start with the one thing that made Dairy Queen famous: a classic soft serve cone.

Dairy Queen has officially been added to my shooting list.

There is much more to see on my website, including my photography galleries, my blog, and my growing Motion page. Visit https://secondfocus.com

June 23, 2026 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: AI food photography, American fast food, commercial food photography, Dairy Queen, Dairy Queen anniversary, fast food, fast food photography, Food Photography, from bag to background, Ian L Sitren, ice cream cone, Joliet Illinois, June 22, secondfocus, soft serve, soft serve ice cream | Leave a comment