Dairy Queen to add 100 restaurants in N.Y., many in Buffalo area

[TomSea]

Dairy Queen to add 100 restaurants in N.Y., many in Buffalo area
Dairy Queen chain makes expansion push in Western New York,

seeking franchisees to add more of its year-round Grill & Chill locations

Dairy Queen is looking to beef up its presence in Western New York.

The Minnesota-based chain wants to add 100 restaurants to the state over the next 10 years and has targeted the Buffalo Niagara region for a good chunk of them. But rather than fill the market with ice cream stands, the company wants to amp up its newer DQ Grill & Chill concept.

It said Buffalo is an attractive market for growth.

“Buffalo is an area with great opportunity because it is a solid market with strong family connections and roots,” said Jim Kerr, vice president of franchise development for International Dairy Queen.

The company is looking for franchisees to help it meet those aggressive expansion goals, ones that would be willing to open multiple locations in the first couple of years. Each location costs from $1.07 million to $1.83 million to develop, plus the cost of land. Each restaurant brings with it 50 to 100 jobs, the company said. The franchise fee is $35,000.

The company launched what is now its flagship format in 2001 and brought the first DQ Grill & Chill restaurant to Lancaster in 2007. It’s a full fast-food restaurant with a complete menu of burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and chicken strip baskets along with its traditional ice cream desserts. The stores tend to seat about 60 people indoors and have a drive-thru.

Stores have separate “grill” sections for hot foods and “chill” sections for desserts. They have warm lighting and music, booths, large wooden tables and outdoor patios that seat 12. Typical stores are freestanding, but the company is also willing to develop them in strip center end caps, dual-use buildings, travel centers, street-front locations and other venues.

Continued: http://www.buffalonews.com/business/dairy-queen-to-add-100-restaurants-in-ny-many-in-buffalo-area-20160930

That's growth!

[Longmire]

A company best known for ice cream is looking to expand in a location known for its cold weather...

I wonder how many people are gonna want to go out for a DQ Blizzard in the middle of one?

[jmyrlefuller]

There's really not a lot of those things around here. The nearest one is in Bradford, PA. It's not a bad place.

I'm curious why it took so long.

[Night Hides Not]

There's really not a lot of those things around here. The nearest one is in Bradford, PA. It's not a bad place.

I'm curious why it took so long.

T-a-x-e-s (and regulations).

I've seen those commercials touting NY as a good state for business. One line said "lowest taxes in decades."

Should have thought about that when the exodus was under way.