Carmel Dairy Queen is 54!

Mom, former employee Karen King, me

My mom & dad owned the Dairy Queen in Carmel, Ind. from when I was age one to 17.  I recently went back to visit and planned my trip so that I could go to the Carmel Historical Society's program on the Dairy Queen being 54 this year.  It was to be an employee reunion too - fun!  The Dairy Queen is one of only about two businesses in Carmel still in business!  Back in the day, it was the first fast food restaurant in Carmel and became "the place" to hang out.  At first it was a small walk-up DQ.  They soon added indoor seating and sandwiches and added a putt putt golf course next door.

The Historical Society did a good job showing old pictures of it that mom had provided and telling about the owners since Mom & Dad sold it.  The current owner and manager have had it for 19 years.  

Mom said that the first day the store was open, she was being trained on how to make cones when a school bus full of kids came on the last day of school!  She said she quickly learned how to make and sell cones!  She also says she would put me in like a pumpkin seat by the window while she waited on customers.  

We mostly remember Glenn filling out his order for a tenderloin and fries and sending it down the line!  We made ourselves lots of extra thick shakes and hot fudge sundaes with extra squirts of hot fudge and ate lots of "mistakes".  Glenn and I worked in the back from a young age doing things like dipping Dilly Bars and Buster Bars, weighing out servings of french fries and breaded mushrooms, etc. and during busy times we cleared tables.  I worked there as a real (paid) employee a couple of years before they sold it when I was a sophomore.

The current owners invited us to come to the DQ after the program and see if we still remembered how to make a cone with the signature curl.  None of us had forgotten!  They all looked good!   We took some pictures with the original DQ sign (top picture).

The kid in the blue shirt at first thought Mom needed instructions!  ha ha! 

nice cone Mom!

my cone

People always asked us if we ever got sick of ice cream and all of us answered "no way"!  And we still love ice cream - especially soft serve.