Dairy Queen (Michigan Avenue)
1040 W. Michigan AvenueI kind of got on a kick last week going to restaurants I haven’t blogged about in years. I figured it was time. It started with my previous post on 50’s Drive-In in South Haven. It continues with this one and at least for the next two after this.
It has been 12 years since I’ve blogged about the Dairy Queen across the street from Waldo Stadium (also a blog that desperately needs updated) and even then, we only got ice cream. I didn’t even dive in to the food side of that location so it was definitely time for an update.
I was colleagueless last Friday and was just catching up on some things around the office. I didn’t want to spend a bunch of money on lunch nor did I want to go very far. I pass that Dairy Queen everyday on my way to work and never even think of it for lunch.
The Dairy Queen near Western Michigan University is on Michigan Avenue south of the Lovell Street intersection. It’s at that odd location between Michigan Avenue (which just becomes Michigan Avenue as Stadium Drive ends almost at the building) and the train tracks just before the area where Lovell meets with both Oakland Drive and Michigan Avenue. The building is pretty old and doesn’t look like the newer chain like Dairy Queen Grill and Chill locations. There was an update done earlier this summer that did spruce up the curb appeal a little and updated the signage to the newer logos.
This is not a walk up Dairy Queen like the one in Portage but this really is more of an ice cream location. There’s a big order counter right as you walk in the door and a bench to sit on while you wait. You order at one end then the ice cream is passed over the counter a little further down.
There is a small dining room off to the side with a few tables. There’s not many but there’s enough space that you shouldn’t have to eat in your car.
The food menu is not the one you’ll find on Dairy Queen’s website. It’s much simpler and pretty much just hamburgers and hot dogs.
I ordered myself a cheeseburger with mustard, pickles, and bacon. I got that as a combo which got me fries and a Pepsi. I then added on a medium Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard. The total cost was right around $14.
There was only one person working so she got the hot food going then got me the Pepsi and the Blizzard.
I have loved Blizzards since I was a wee lad. Dairy Queen was the only “fast food” we had in the very small town I grew up in. It was always a treat to get to go to the Dairy Queen for dinner. We didn’t eat out like my kids get to today.
My favorite Blizzard was always the Oreo Blizzard but as I got older, I slowly switched to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and occasionally Cookie Dough, but this time I went with the Peanut Butter Cup. I didn’t save it. I started eating as soon as I got it and I finished it just as my bag of food was being handed over the counter.
I headed back to the office to eat because I still had some work to.
I started with the fries when I got back. They are pretty typical fast food fries but they do have a good amount of seasoning salt on them. I didn’t hate these fries. Better than the typical fast food.
The burger is pretty simple too. It kind of has the taste of a backyard cookout. It’s a frozen burger patty topped with cheese then I added on some bacon (and it was nice and crispy), pickles and mustard. The whole thing is on a simple white bread bun. It’s nothing that will not your socks off but it is a pretty tasty burger and it won’t break the bank when you just need something quick, cheap, and tasty for lunch.
Dairy Queen’s are so weird. There’s the newer, nicer ones then there are the ones that have been in the community for decades. This is the latter. As I drove by over the year, you could see it kind of deteriorate a bit but a lot of work was done last summer that really improved the appearance of the restaurant and made it a little more inviting. Dairy Queen has always been a go to for the “Cool Treats” (you’re old if you get that reference) but I have such nostalgia eating full meals there that I savor the food any time I get the chance.
SW Michigan Dining 