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Dairy Queen tries out Sweet Deals in Kentucky
By Jennifer HewlettJHEWLETT@HERALD-LEADER.COM
A mix-and-match value menu that includes desserts is being tried out as DQ Grill & Chill and Dairy Queen's answer to rising gasoline and food prices.
Offered through a promotion called Sweet Deals, the menu is being tested at 35 Kentucky DQ Grill & Chill and Dairy Queen locations, including several in Lexington.
"It's going to run at least through the end of the year. If it does well, we feel like it will become part of our core menu," said Billy Rose, who represents the restaurants participating in the promotion and others on the International Dairy Queen Franchisee Advisory Council.
With "gas prices doing what they're doing, the cost of goods going where they're going," parent company International Dairy Queen felt the need to make such a move, said Rose, who owns DQ Grill & Chills in Richmond and Berea.
Customers may pick two items for $3, three for $4 or four for $5 from the nine-item menu. The nine items are the Dairy Queen burger, hot dog, chicken wrap, french fries, onion rings, salad, beverage, sundae and soft-serve cone.
"Most value meals that other chains offer don't include a treat," said Maria Pierson, a spokeswoman for International Dairy Queen. The company is based in Minnesota.
The chicken wrap is new. It's made with all white meat, leaf lettuce and shredded cheddar cheese, topped with ranch dressing and wrapped in a flour tortilla.
"We kind of positioned it as light fare, or an on-the-go type of snack," Pierson said.
"It's delicious," Rose said. "You can run through the drive-through when you get a little craving. It's not real filling, but it's a great snack."
He said that the chain has had special value offers in the past, but none quite like Sweet Deals.
The promotion allows a customer to customize a meal and top it off with a treat. But buying several of the same thing from the Sweet Deals menu is OK, too, Rose said.
"You can get five sundaes, if you like. You can come in and get five hamburgers."
The Sweet Deals promotion is being offered only in the Lexington designated market area, Pierson said.
Participating DQ Grill & Chills and Dairy Queens are in International Dairy Queen's "Lexington designated market area." In addition to five Lexington locations, the restaurants are in Barbourville, Beattyville, Berea, Campton, Clay City, Corbin, Frankfort, Georgetown, Harrodsburg, Hazard, Hindman, Lancaster, Lawrenceburg, London, Manchester, McKee, Monticello, Morehead, Mount Sterling, Nicholasville, Owingsville, Richmond, Somerset, Stanford, Stanton, Versailles and Winchester.