--- title: "Dairy Queen Targets Kansas City as Part of Strategic Metropolitan Development Initiative" url: https://burnaze.com/article/78f5574f-1a64-4f3b-a5ab-95bf57974cef source: "1851 Franchise" original_url: https://1851franchise.com/dairy-queen-targets-kansas-city-as-part-of-strategic-metropolitan-development-initiative-5299 category: "Snacks & dessert" industry: "Restaurants" segment: "Snacks & dessert" published: 2016-07-22T19:14:56.000Z modified: 2026-11-01T13:05:19.094Z image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/93ec348a03b82a2b38bb9c6d0b08bc508707160722144256.jpeg --- # Dairy Queen Targets Kansas City as Part of Strategic Metropolitan Development Initiative **TL;DR:** Dairy Queen is targeting Kansas City as part of its strategic metropolitan development initiative, focusing on areas with limited locations. The brand aims to open at least 15 new locations in the Kansas City market over the next five to six years. *originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2016-07-22. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/dairy-queen-targets-kansas-city-as-part-of-strategic-metropolitan-development-initiative-5299).* ## Story For the past 75 years, consumers have stopped by their local *Dairy Queen*® for one of the brand’s signature frozen treats or delicious sandwiches. The brand’s commitment to quality and menu innovation has made it the go-to restaurant for families and friends in cities across the country. But for some consumers, their neighborhood *Dairy Queen* isn’t as close to home as they’d like. That’s why the brand is focusing its development efforts in cities that could use a few more locations in order to best serve the entire community. One of those target development markets is Kansas City. “We’re really targeting expansion in major metropolitan areas that don’t have enough *Dairy Queens* to go around. That’s why Kansas City is an ideal area for growth,” said Mike Mettler, *Dairy Queen’s* director of national franchise sales. “We have a long history of popular stores and strong operators in the market, and we’re confident that new franchisees who sign on to develop the brand in Kansas City will continue to experience that heightened level of success.” ## Kansas city market With a metro population of more than two million, according to Forbes, Kansas City is an ideal market for the *Dairy Queen* brand. The city is filled with groups of previously untapped consumers, as well as qualified entrepreneurs who can realize their dreams of business ownership with the help of the brand. Part of what makes *Dairy Queen’s* franchise option so attractive to prospective franchisees is its *DQ* *Grill & Chill*® model. The restaurant concept, which initially launched back in 2002, offers more variety on its menu than the traditional *DQ*® concept—items like premium burgers, chicken sandwiches and snack melts are served alongside the brand’s line of delicious soft serve treats. It’s that elevated *Dairy Queen* model that first inspired current Kansas City franchisees Angie and Frank Lombardo to open up their own restaurant. “My husband and I had been debating opening up a *Dairy Queen* franchise for a while. But as soon as we learned about the *DQ* *Grill & Chill* model, we knew we had to move forward with our development plans right away,” said Angie. “The food is delicious, and at the time, there really wasn’t anything like it in the area. We thought it was something our community would love, and we were right. Consumer demand has been so high that we’re already making plans for our second location.” ## Expansion plans Over the next five to six years, *Dairy Queen* is hoping to open up at least 15 new locations in the Kansas City market. The brand is already well on its way to achieving that goal—there are a number of franchise groups actively developing in the market. “By expanding in Kansas City, we have the unique opportunity to honor *Dairy Queen**’s* heritage and history in the area. Our *DQ Grill & Chill* model takes the classic *Dairy Queen* experience to the next level, and builds on the strong foundation the brand has already established throughout the entire community,” Mettler said. ## Entities - 1851 Franchise (publication) - Restaurants (sector) - unit expansion (topic) - Forbes (company) - franchise sales (topic) - Dairy Queen (company) - Kansas City (location) - market development (topic) - Mike Mettler (person) --- Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/dairy-queen-targets-kansas-city-as-part-of-strategic-metropolitan-development-initiative-5299). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/78f5574f-1a64-4f3b-a5ab-95bf57974cef).