Ice cream royalty

Its time to bow down and pay our respects to one of the biggest and most successful ice cream companies in the entire world.

So successful, in fact, that it deserves its own blog.

Dairy Queen has been keeping Americans fat and happy since the first store opened in 1940, and has created a soft serve legacy that not just any hot fudge can fill.

It all started, according to DQ's Web site, with a father and son from Greenville, Illinois and a 10 cent all-you-can-eat ice cream sale, in hopes of promoting their new dairy invention.

Over 1500 stomach aches later, it was obvious their product was a hit, and so was born an ice cream company that would take the nation by storm.

The first store opened in Joliet, Illinois, and grew from 10 stores in 1941 to almost 6000 in the U.S. and 20 other countries. The "we treat you right" slogan has since become a household phrase.

Their signature blizzards, introduced in 1957, are still perhaps the most popular item.

And with a small at $2.30 and 675 calories, according to Nutrition Data, you get more than twice what you pay for.

Dennis the Menace became Dairy Queen's spokesman when the two joined forces in 1972, bringing Dennis' face to milkshake cups everywhere.

Dairy Queen also joined forces with Orange Julius, buying the orange smoothie makers out.

Corporate America has never tasted so good.

DQ also offers what they call "hot eats," or a variety of crappy fast food options from chicken fingers to hot dogs.

Personally, however, I'd stick to the soft serve.

Unless, of course, you like the taste of rubber.