Dairy Queen have quietly closed at least 46 restaurants across the country.
The largest wave of closures occurred in Texas, where franchisee Project Lonestar shuttered 30 restaurants last year and another 12 in March.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, Dairy Queen’s US parent company terminated Project Lonestar’s franchise rights after the operator failed to complete required store remodels. The decision prevented the franchisee from ordering official Dairy Queen products, forcing the closure of 42 locations.
A Dairy Queen spokesperson described the Texas closures as an “isolated event” involving a single franchise operator. None of the affected franchisees has filed for bankruptcy protection.
Most recently, three Dairy Queen restaurants in Alaska closed on June 30. The franchisee did not disclose the reason for the closures, leaving just one Dairy Queen remaining in the state, in Soldotna.
Despite the closures, Dairy Queen continues to expand elsewhere. Most recently, the company signed an agreement to open 20 DQ Grill & Chill restaurants in Puerto Rico.