Not McDonald's: The '40s Fast Food Chain Boomers Prefer Over The Rest

Being food nerds, we're always intrigued by the fast food preferences of different generations. For example, Gen Z and millennials have a higher tendency to hit the drive-thru when compared to other demographics. But we really like to get into overall food preferences, such as what people enjoy eating — and our elder generation, the baby boomers, have a fast food restaurant chain which they hold in higher regard than the rest. Surprisingly, it's not the easily accessible McDonald's, but rather, Dairy Queen.

According to a current YouGov survey of respondents' positive opinions of dining brands, the baby boomer cohort is particularly fond of the place that serves the fluffy soft serve with that signature curl on top. (It comes in second place after Baskin-Robbins, but we're comparing places that also serve hot food, which Dairy Queen does at most locations.) McDonald's, however, comes in at a shocking 43rd place in terms of positive opinions. Clearly, Dairy Queen, which was founded in Joliet, Illinois in 1940, has a special place in boomers' hearts — which is not all that surprising, considering a nostalgic burger-and-Blizzard combo is about as classic as it gets.

In a Reddit thread titled, "Why are 90% of customers elderly," a Reddit user wrote, "I've noticed that a majority of [Dairy Queen] customers are always never younger than 50." Commenters had some pretty interesting observations about this. One person wrote from their own experience, stating, "I'm almost 50 and grew up on DQ. The younger generation has more options now." Granted, 50 isn't quite a baby boomer's age (it's a little younger than the definition), but it does describe a notable sentiment.

Another commenter agreed, saying, "This. My boomer dad raised me going to Dairy Queen so it's a nostalgic thing for me, and I like the Blizzards. But better places have since opened. Also, Dairy Queen is cheaper than some of the fancier places." One Reddit user suggested a mix of things could explain baby boomers' Dairy Queen preference: "Used to be the only thing around that wasn't terrible, especially in small towns. The random group of old guys chatting over coffee was especially a thing, and yes, they had free or cheap refills too." This Reddit user also noted, "They stick with the same menu, which is familiar."

Perhaps it's because we're of a younger generation, but sometimes Dairy Queen doesn't hit the mark for us. We've previously found its soft serve to be somewhat lacking, and the beef in DQ's burgers is spongy and off-putting. But for the boomer generation, Dairy Queen is still the chain that's closest to their hearts, and if they're happy with that, then so be it.