The famous cone with the iconic curl on top takes center stage on the first day of spring as the Dairy Queen® system offers up a celebratory sweet giveaway. (Photo: Business Wire)

The famous cone with the iconic curl on top takes center stage on the first day of spring as the Dairy Queen® system offers up a celebratory sweet giveaway. (Photo: Business Wire)

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The famous cone with the iconic curl on top takes center stage on the first day of spring as the Dairy Queen® system offers up a celebratory sweet giveaway.

Participating non-mall Dairy Queen and DQ Grill & Chill® locations across the U.S. will celebrate the Fourth Annual Free Cone Day on Tuesday, March 20, the first day of spring. Fans will enjoy a free small vanilla soft serve cone with the signature curl on top (limit one per customer while supplies last). At the same time, participating locations also will collect donations for local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals®.

“Silky smooth DQ® soft serve is truly one of life’s simple pleasures. Our cone with the curl on top is one of the most recognized treats in the world and that signature curl is a DQ quality test we take tremendous pride in,” said Maria Hokanson, Executive Vice President of Marketing for American Dairy Queen Corporation (ADQ). “There’s a reason DQ soft serve tastes so delicious and special. From cow to cone, dairy farmers and local operators take tremendous pride in bringing smiles to millions of fans’ faces through our creamy DQ soft serve.”

For more than 30 years, the Dairy Queen system of independently owned restaurants franchised by ADQ, a Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A and BRK.B) company, has raised more than $130 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in local communities.

“We’re excited for our fourth annual Free Cone Day,” added Hokanson. “This day has become a spring tradition and a sign that warmer weather is upon us.”

Last year, the Dairy Queen system of fans and franchisees contributed nearly $300,000 in one day for local hospitals.

For more information about the Dairy Queen system, visit DairyQueen.com. Connect with the DQ system on Twitter using #LOVEmyDQ and at twitter.com/dairyqueen. Visit the DQ Facebook fan page, which has more than 11 million friends and become a friend at facebook.com/dairyqueen.

DQ Fun Facts:

Our dairy comes from American dairy farmers and their hardworking families.

We’re big fans of our dairy farmers because they make every curl possible.

The curl of the cone and the flip of the Blizzard are more than just theatrics at DQ, they are DQ quality signs that we take pride in.

A perfect curl and a flipped Blizzard mean the thickest, creamiest DQ soft serve you can’t get anywhere else.

About IDQ:

International Dairy Queen Inc., (IDQ), based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the parent company of American Dairy Queen Corporation. Through its subsidiaries, IDQ develops, licenses and services a system of more than 6,800 locations in the United States, Canada and more than 25 other countries. IDQ is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (Berkshire) which is led by Warren Buffet, the legendary investor and CEO of Berkshire. For more information visit DairyQueen.com.

About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals:

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the charity's Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why children’s hospitals need community support, identify your member hospital and learn how you can Put Your Money Where the Miracles Are, at CMNHospitals.org and facebook.com/CMNHospitals.

Editor’s Note:

High Resolution photo available upon request