For many years, Orange Julius was the premiere drink destination for mall shoppers. Not quite a smoothie nor a milkshake, the frothy OJ-based thirst-quencher was the quintessential beverage to pair with many shoppers' go-to mall food -- an Auntie Anne's pretzel. However, eventually, the Orange Julius locations seemed to vanish.
In reality, what happened was that the company was purchased by Dairy Queen in 1987, and slowly but surely, a majority of the stand-alone Orange Julius stores began transforming into DQs. Luckily, these newly established Dairy Queens still featured a handful of Julius drinks on their menu, allowing former mall rats to continue getting their citrusy nostalgia needs met. Yet in recent years, several members of the Orange Julius fandom have discovered that their local Dairy Queens no longer offer the beloved drink, leaving some wondering if the nearly 100-year-old item has quietly been discontinued. Fear not, Orange Julius fans, because that is not the case. Well, not entirely, at least.
Dairy Queen did, unfortunately, discontinue the Orange Julius menu at its Grill & Chill restaurants in 2019. However, its treat-only locations still offer a selection of Orange Julius products, including the original Orange Julius drink we all know and love. Still, many Dairy Queen restaurants are franchised, which can lead to some variation in menu offerings. If you're not sure what the status of your local treat-only DQ is, it may be best to call ahead and ask if they offer Orange Julius products.
Why Did Dairy Queen Stop Selling Orange Julius Drinks At Grill & Chill Locations?
The decision to pull Orange Julius beverages from DQ's Grill & Chill menus in 2019 seemingly came with no warning and no official explanation as to why. However, a Facebook post from a New Hampshire-based franchisee suggested that low sales could be to blame, noting that Orange Julius drinks "[made] up less than 1%" of its sales. This tracks closely with the brand's overall annual sales of $1.8 million in 2023, which amounts to about half a percent of DQ's revenue of $3.6 billion that year. Additionally, other franchisees on Reddit claimed that making Orange Julius drinks was fairly time-consuming, causing slowdowns during peak hours. Some posters also said that the ingredients took up considerable freezer space just to be thrown away due to expiration.
Fortunately, Dairy Queen's treat-only locations are still keeping the Orange Julius alive, as are the combination DQ-OJ locations in shopping malls, which one apparent DQ-employed Redditor suggested is the only store type still offering the full OJ menu. There is, sadly, no master list of these stores that we can find, but you can use the online store locator to search your area for one. These are differentiated by a "Treat Only" label in the results. If you've only got a Dairy Queen Grill & Chill near you, you can always make a copycat Orage Julius. You can even try spiking it with your favorite booze for an ideal alcoholic Orange Julius.
Dairy Queen did, unfortunately, discontinue the Orange Julius menu at its Grill & Chill restaurants in 2019. However, its treat-only locations still offer a selection of Orange Julius products, including the original Orange Julius drink we all know and love.
In 1987, the Orange Julius chain was bought by International Dairy Queen, which was subsequently purchased by billionaire Warren Buffett in 1998; thus, making it a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. All of the surviving independent Orange Julius stores were rebranded into Dairy Queens.
They loved it so much they bought the company. In 1987, Orange Julius became "a fully owned subsidiary of International Dairy Queen." That's lawyer speak for "now you can get your Dilly® Bar where you get your Julius® Original!”
Well, not entirely, at least. Dairy Queen did, unfortunately, discontinue the Orange Julius menu at its Grill & Chill restaurants in 2019. However, its treat-only locations still offer a selection of Orange Julius products, including the original Orange Julius drink we all know and love.
a Homemade Orange Smoothie: A nutritional comparison between an Orange Julius and a homemade orange smoothie. The mall drink is packed with more sugar than a can of soda, and besides having vitamin C from the orange juice it contains, it's devoid of nutrients. It's a sugar bomb with no protein and no fiber.
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway acquired Dairy Queen for nearly $600 million in 1998. Dairy Queen CEO Troy Bader told Insider that Berkshire's ownership lets him invest for the long run. Bader explained how Dairy Queen has dealt with the pandemic, inflation, and new customer demands.
Why do most Orange Julius recipes include egg white? It's the secret ingredient beloved by bartenders worldwide for creating a rich and creamy texture in a beverage, but without adding any flavor.
Julius Freed opened an orange juice stand in 1926 on South Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. In 1929, the orange juice was developed into a specialty drink by Freed's real estate broker Willard Hamlin.
The Orange Julius is an American fast food, hot dog and fruit drink beverage restaurant chain. The company began its business operations in Los Angeles, California in 1926. Orange Julius is known for a popular drink named after the restaurant.
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, besides orange juice we had orange flavored soft drinks like Orange Crush, and then we had the Orange Julius. An Orange Julius was a real treat, especially on warm days, and franchises were purchased and buildings erected just to sell the frothy, ice cold beverage.
Introduction: My name is Nicola Considine CPA, I am a determined, witty, powerful, brainy, open, smiling, proud person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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