© Dairy Queen
US restaurant chain Dairy Queen has agreed to remove sodas from its children’s meal offerings and replace with milk and water.
The move will become effective at the beginning of September across more than 4,300 franchises in the US, and will bring the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based fast food company in line with rivals such as McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s. In January, we reported that Wendy’s had taken the step to remove carbonated soft drinks from its children’s menus.
The company will still offer young consumers its soft-serve ice cream, DQ ice cream sandwich and Dilly Bar as treat options – alongside a program of food items such as chicken strips, cheeseburger or hot dog with a side of fries, apple sauce or a banana.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) praised Dairy Queen’s “corporate responsibility” and called upon chains such as Applebee’s and Chili’s to follow suit.
CSPI nutrition policy director Margo G Wootan said: “Dairy Queen deserves credit for being responsive to the concerns of parents, who increasingly want to be able to order off the kids’ menu without having to say ‘no’ to soda. That Dairy Queen’s Franchise Advisory Council voted unanimously to adopt this policy shows the depth of the company’s commitment.”
Dairy Queen is owned by Berkshire Hathaway, which is also the largest shareholder in the Coca-Cola Company with an approximate 9% stake.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024