Dilly Bar sales soar at state Dairy Queens during pandemic
In times of crisis, people turn to ... Dilly Bars?
You bet your sweet curlicue.
The Dairy Queen staple since 1955 has proven to be both nostalgia on a stick and essential comfort food as people look for little ways to treat themselves during the coronavirus pandemic. In a summer that comes with a whole laundry list of things you can’t do, you can still put a smile on somebody’s face by handing them a Dilly Bar.
Dairy Queen and custard stands are reporting increased sales, but for many, there’s something about a Dilly Bar that makes it a go-to treat during the pandemic.
The classic ice cream novelty dipped in chocolate, butterscotch or cherry coating has been flying out of local Dairy Queen drive-thru windows in numbers that far exceed a typical summer. It started in early April and hasn’t let up, said Terri Fote, who owns Dairy Queen Grill & Chill locations at 2240 S. Ridge Road in Ashwaubenon, 1500 Scheuring Road in De Pere and 2532 Glendale Ave. in Howard, as well as one in New London.
“It was kind of like toilet paper is how I say it. People came to us and would buy two packs of Dilly Bars or four packs of Dilly Bars or a cake and two packs of Dilly Bars. It was kind of like they were afraid we were going to be out,” Fote said.
While it has been a challenge sometimes to keep all varieties in stock, they’ve managed, she said. In addition to the three traditional flavors, some Dairy Queen locations also offer Heath, mint, no sugar added and non-dairy Dillys.
Dilly Bars, born at a Dairy Queen in Moorhead, Minnesota, have always been a solid seller, but not like this year. Fote said sales are up “an enormous percentage” at her locations. She attributes part of the boom to people reaching for familiar things from their past during a time when the future is so uncertain.
“It’s still as popular now going into August as it was in April and May. This is just unprecedented. It’s crazy, but I think people look for what made them happy as a child and want to bring that joy back to their entire family. It’s such a special treat,” she said.
During a “super crazy busy” last few months at the Dairy Queen at 1081 N. Broadway in De Pere, assistant manager Carley Weymier said Dilly Bar sales definitely stand out.
“A lot of people are bringing them to work, kind of a feel good. Everyone in the office will be happy or everyone at home will be happy,” she said. “Since nobody is traveling a whole lot, they can bring that home and make it a fun night or fun weekend with their family.”
The humble Dilly Bar — no sprinkles, no mix-ins, just the signature curl in the middle (if your Dairy Queen still dips them in-store like the Broadway location; those made off site come without because manufacturing equipment can’t do the curl) — stirs up childhood memories for people.
“I think there’s a lot of nostalgia,” Weymier said. “A lot of our older customers especially say that they remember coming here when they were kids, riding their bikes when Dilly Bars were 10 cents a piece. A lot of people actually worked here, so it’s fun to hear their stories.”
It’s not just Dilly Bars that are having a moment this summer. It’s Dairy Queen ice cream treats across the board, Fote said.
Sales of Buster Bars, vanilla soft serve, fudge and peanuts on a stick have also been up, Fote said. Her cake sales for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day were double a normal summer. The Frosted Animal Cookie Blizzard, part of a summer menu of flavors, has been the No. 1 Blizzard seller. (DQ trivia: The Blizzard is celebrating its 35th birthday this year.)
“Definitely this year it has been a significant increase in our ice cream sales, pretty much since about April 1,” Fote said. “The last part of March when things were closing down people didn’t really know what to do, but by April, people were wanting to make themselves feel better . ... We were astounded by how many customers we could get through our drive-thru in a day.”
The last five months have been the hardest of her career, Fote said, but she’s grateful to be in a business that serves happiness.
“I’ve been in Dairy Queen for 35 years and anytime there’s a recession or something like this, people go to treat themselves.”
Contact Kendra Meinert at 920-4318347 or kmeinert@greenbay.gannett. com.