When we first heard the rumblings back in April that a new Dairy Queen might be coming to Loudon Road, you can imagine our excitement.
One it meant yet another option for lunch on the Heights, but also would include a trip soon after its opening for a taste test – and a story.
So last week, after we got word that Dairy Queen was indeed finally open, we had to take a drive by to see for ourselves, as well as for a late lunch.
From the outside, the new “Grill & Chill Restaurant” looked really nice and much to our surprise, there is a drive thru and fenced in outdoor eating area.
But on this occasion, we’d be dining in because we not only have to tell you how the food was, but also the feel and look of the dining room.
For a Tuesday afternoon, the place was hopping, but that’s understandable since it’s summer, and it did just open.
Despite the number of people with the same idea, it didn’t take long to get to the front of the line.
The menu board is easy to read and full of great options, and since Dairy Queen is kinda known for its burgers, we decided to go with the Bacon Cheese Grillburger combo meal that comes with medium fries and a fountain drink.
And since we wanted to get a lay of the land, we decided to add a couple chicken strips to our order for $1 each.
They also have chicken sandwiches – fried or grilled – a turkey BLT, pulled pork and hot dogs, as well as many other burger combinations to choose from. You can even get lunch combos that feature a sundae.
But there’s no waiting for your food at the counter. You get a number card that you put on your table and the food is brought right to you.
So after grabbing a water from the fountain machine, we took up residence at a table, which features ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper and napkins. No running back to the counter for more at this spot.
And it seemed as though we had just sat down before our food was already being served.
Our burger selection came with ketchup, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles, but we decided to skip the ketchup and mayo on this day and opted for the meat, cheese and veggies.
The bun was soft and warm, the cheese was slightly melted and the bacon had a little crisp without crumbling apart. As for the taste? Well, it did not disappoint. The ¼ pound burger was actually quite juicy for what is the equivalent to fast food and the American cheese and Applewood smoked bacon were a nice addition.
The veggies were fresh and it was thoroughly enjoyable to the last bite.
The fries, which there were plenty of, were hot and crispy with just the right amount of salt.
The chicken strips were good, not out of this world, and paired well with the buffalo sauce.
All in all, the meal hit the spot and will definitely be added to our lunch rotation, which seems to be growing by the week.
As for the restaurant itself, you can imagine that a new establishment would be clean and fresh looking, which is exactly what we encountered.
It was a pleasant place for a meal and there’s even complimentary Wi-Fi.
So if you haven’t hit up the new Dairy Queen yet, or didn’t even know it was officially open, stop by for a bite. It’s worth it – trust us.
