Certain summertime traditions are sacrosanct. Take watching summer movie blockbusters in an ice-cold movie theater for an example. There’s also beach bonfires with cousins or a stop at the Dairy Queen on the way back from the lake. Nothing hits like a Blizzard on a heatwave-type day.
But for one Texas TikTok creator and dog dad, Angel Alberto, the Blizzard wasn’t all that he hoped it would be—not because it was made with the wrong ingredients or with the incorrect ratio of treats to ice cream. When the Dairy Queen employee handed it over to him, she didn’t “flip it.”
“I feel there may be no more magic in the world,” Alberto (@angelalbertatio) captioned the video.
Can You Eat A Blizzard That Hasn’t Been Flipped?
When Dairy Queen debuted the Blizzard in 1985, it was a direct interpretation of a “concrete shake” made by the St. Louis-based Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. Legend has it that in 1959, a teenage boy was frequenting the frozen custard stand, each time asking for an ever-thicker shake. Finally, a frustrated Drewes turned the milkshake over just before he handed it to the teen, saying, “Is this thick enough for you? If it falls out, it’s free.”
Skip ahead to the ’70s. Sam Temperato, a multi-store Dairy Queen franchisee, did some investigating. He wondered why the much smaller Ted Drewes Frozen Custard was holding its own against his ice cream empire. He discovered the concrete shake. By 1983, he’d proposed a DQ version that included the now-iconic flip.
In its first year, more than 175 million Blizzards were sold. And the idea of flipping it upside down before serving only increased its salability.
These days, Dairy Queen doesn’t disclose how many of the frozen treats it sells. But the Minnesota Star Tribune reported that “by 2030, the Bloomington-based company wants franchisees to hit $10 billion. That’s more than 4,500 Blizzards sold per minute around the clock.”
So while technically, yes, you can eat a Blizzard that hasn’t been flipped, like Alberto, you might need to ask yourself if you want to. “It’s just like part of the experience. It’s like when you go to hibachi and they cook it in front of you. Just kind of made me sad,” he says.
‘Made Me Realize That My Childhood Is Over’
Then, after explaining that the Dairy Queen employee offered to flip it for him only after he’d asked about it, he says that small omitted action “made me realize that my childhood is over.”
The internet was quick to point out a long-standing (if franchise-specific rule).
“OK, but there is a rule at Dairy Queen that if they do not flip it, your blizzard [sic] is supposed to be free. There’s even a sign hanging up at my Dairy Queen that says it!! I will report back,” promised @Chelsleighhh.
But perhaps even if this magic is dying, there’s still some magic found on social media. One of the first comments is from the Dairy Queen verified account. It wrote, “Hey Angel, check your DMs! Your next DQ visit is on us [heart emoji].”
And there are people in comments who say they just knew DQ wouldn’t let him down. “I came here just for this comment,” said Lexi (@lexirosadaa).
“I came to the comments just for you!! [hearts and smile emoji] I knew you [DQ] wouldn’t let us down!!” said @normanlyons.
Now, who’s got Blizzards on the brain? Meet me at DQ?
@angelalbertatio I fear there may be no more magic in the world😔 #fyp #foryou