---
title: "How the DQ® Brand Continues Canadian Expansion Through Family Influence"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/ec16685c-d04c-464a-af6c-a79addf5927d
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/how-the-dq-brand-continues-canadian-expansion-through-family-influence-2704460
category: "Restaurants"
industry: "Restaurants"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit"]
published: 2017-10-03T19:14:51.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T04:11:42.075Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/ed8fc3c5a4d12a7cd44375901611dad49592.jpg
---

# How the DQ® Brand Continues Canadian Expansion Through Family Influence

**TL;DR:** Dairy Queen franchisee Nikki Hagidiakow opened a DQ Grill & Chill location in Winnipeg, Manitoba, inspired by her mother's experience with the brand. The brand is seeing growth throughout Manitoba and Ontario, with planned growth markets including Westport, Sage Creek, and the greater Toronto area.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2017-10-03. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/how-the-dq-brand-continues-canadian-expansion-through-family-influence-2704460).*

## Key facts

- Nikki Hagidiakow opened a DQ Grill & Chill in Winnipeg
- The DQ Grill & Chill model is the brand's booming QSR concept
- Manitoba's planned growth markets include Westport and Sage Creek

## Story

For many franchisees in the *Dairy Queen*® system, the venture represents not only a business, but a family affair.

Nikki Hagidiakow, for example, recently opened a *DQ Grill & Chill*® location in Winnipeg, Manitoba with her husband Nick after seeing her mom and aunt go through the franchising process with the *DQ* brand. Helping them launch operations in Saskatchewan inspired her to follow an entrepreneurial path with the opportunity, as well.

“My mom always had a dream of being her own boss and found franchising as a way to achieve that goal,” Hagidiakow said. “When I was still in college, my mom and aunt were in the process of looking at different franchises and I was helping them do research and meet with different companies so was very invested in the process. Then, there was an opportunity to open a location in Winnipeg that presented itself at the right time for my husband and me to buy into the company.”

## Canadian expansion efforts

The recently opened *DQ* *Grill & Chill* location in Winnipeg was a welcomed addition to the community, as it replaced a previously open mall-based treat store with the new *DQ Grill & Chill* concept, offering a wider variety of food options for consumers.

“We have always been fans of the brand and I’ve only heard good things about the franchising opportunity and corporate teams,” said Hagidiakow.

The *DQ Grill & Chill* restaurant model is the brand’s booming QSR concept. The restaurant interior brings an innovative dimension to the quick-serve restaurant environment. Highlighted by separate “grill” and “chill” preparation areas, the restaurant features comfortable booths and other types of seating, warm lighting, music and an overall inviting restaurant atmosphere.

Nikki and Nick Hagidiakow plan to build upon the momentum of their *DQ Grill & Chill* restaurant in Winnipeg by converting an Orange Julius® location in the Polo Park Shopping Center to a *DQ Grill & Chill* model in the spring of 2018.

## Market growth plans

The growth experienced by the Hagidiakow represents just a portion of the momentum the *DQ* brand is seeing throughout Manitoba and Ontario. In the next few years, Manitoba’s planned growth markets include Westport, Sage Creek, Southdale, Dauphin, Thompson, Flin Flon, Verdun and Beausejour. Additionally, the *DQ* brand is looking at development opportunity in the greater Toronto area including Brampton, Vaughn, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and Shelburne.

“Our number one priority while we are experiencing this kind of growth is identifying strong franchise partners, like the Hagidiakow, and then working with them to identify quality real estate within the market,” said Tony Watters, Franchise Development Manager for Dairy Queen Canada, Inc. “Something we want to resonate with our brand is that when the *Dairy Queen* brand moves into a town, the location becomes that town's *Dairy Queen* restaurant. We want to encourage small town local ownership."

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- Dairy Queen (company)
- Ontario (location)
- canadian expansion (topic)
- qsr concept (topic)
- Winnipeg (location)
- Manitoba (location)
- family influence (topic)
- market growth plans (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/how-the-dq-brand-continues-canadian-expansion-through-family-influence-2704460). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/ec16685c-d04c-464a-af6c-a79addf5927d).