Dairy Queen happy hour is an afternoon drink deal that participating restaurants run on weekdays. Most open it at 2:00 PM and close it at 4:00 PM or 5:00 PM. Franchise owners decide whether to join in, so the window shifts from one town to the next.
Dairy Queen drinks carry the offer. Soft Drinks, shakes, smoothies, MooLatte, Arctic Rush and Misty Slush are the usual picks, though participation varies by restaurant. The deal leans on drinks rather than full meals, apart from a lunch bundle, and some stores open a separate morning drink window as well.
The short answer
Dairy Queen happy hour runs Monday to Friday at participating restaurants, usually from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM or 5:00 PM. Soft drinks, shakes, smoothies and MooLatte are the usual picks. Some stores add a morning drink special from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM.
Dairy Queen happy hour at a glance
Weekdays
afternoon window
2:00 PM
usual start
4 or 5 PM
usual finish
7 to 10 AM
morning drinks, some stores
6
drink groups in the deal
Half price
MooLatte at select stores
Dairy Queen Happy Hour Menu with Prices
Dairy Queen franchisees set their own clock, so the safest move is to check the restaurant nearest you before setting out. A quick phone call settles it. Weekend hours are limited, and many restaurants skip them altogether. The DQ app runs its own coupons, rewards points and BOGO Blizzard offers alongside the window.
Dairy Queen discounts come off the regular figure, and cup sizes stay exactly as they are on the printed Dairy Queen menu. How much comes off depends on the restaurant. Some take half off a soft drink, while shakes and malts usually carry reduced pricing.
Dairy Queen Happy Hour Times
Afternoons carry the deal, in the slower stretch after the lunch rush. Dairy Queen happy hour usually opens at 2:00 PM and closes at 4:00 PM or 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday. Some stores add a morning drink special from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Weekend hours are limited or missing at many restaurants.
| Session | Days | Usual hours |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoon happy hour | Monday to Friday | 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, or 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM |
| Morning drink specials, some stores | Set by the restaurant | 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM |
| Weekend | Saturday and Sunday | Limited, or not offered at many restaurants |
Dairy Queen Happy Hour Drink Prices
Soft Drinks pour from four fountain taps in Small, Medium and Large cups. Coca-Cola, Diet Coca-Cola, Sprite and Barq’s Root Beer Soda share one regular ladder. Many participating restaurants halve that figure during the window. Other Dairy Queen owners apply a discount of their own.
| Item | Size | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Coca-Cola | Small | $2.89 |
| Coca-Cola | Medium | $3.19 |
| Coca-Cola | Large | $3.49 |
| Diet Coca-Cola | Small | $2.89 |
| Diet Coca-Cola | Medium | $3.19 |
| Diet Coca-Cola | Large | $3.49 |
| Sprite | Small | $2.89 |
| Sprite | Medium | $3.19 |
| Sprite | Large | $3.49 |
| Barq’s Root Beer Soda | Small | $2.89 |
| Barq’s Root Beer Soda | Medium | $3.19 |
| Barq’s Root Beer Soda | Large | $3.49 |
What Dairy Queen Happy Hour Covers
Six drink groups make up the deal, and each restaurant picks its own mix. MooLatte goes half off at select stores, while shakes and malts come down to a reduced figure. Smoothies, Arctic Rush and Misty Slush join in at some locations. A drink in one town may sit outside the deal at the next Dairy Queen.
| Drink group | Usual happy hour deal |
|---|---|
| Soft drinks | Half price or a discount |
| Shakes and malts | Reduced price |
| Smoothies | Discounted in the afternoon |
| MooLatte | Half price at select stores |
| Arctic Rush | Frozen drink promotion |
| Misty Slush | Included at some locations |
Dairy Queen Happy Hour Frozen Drink Prices
Blended drinks make up the rest of the deal, from shakes and malts to MooLatte, fruit smoothies and Misty Slush. Small cups start from their regular menu figure before any afternoon cut comes off. Medium and Large cups follow the same ladder as the full menu. At a participating restaurant, Dairy Queen happy hour cuts come off those same regular figures once the afternoon window opens on a weekday.
| Item | Size | Calories | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate Shake or Malt | Small | 530 | $4.99 |
| Hot Fudge Shake or Malt | Small | 430 | $4.99 |
| Peanut Butter Shake or Malt | Small | 640 | $4.99 |
| Caramel Shake or Malt | Small | 550 | $4.99 |
| Strawberry Shake or Malt | Small | 490 | $4.99 |
| Vanilla Shake or Malt | Small | 520 | $4.99 |
| Orange Cream Flavored Shake | Small | 640 | $4.99 |
| Mocha MooLatte | Small | 500 | $5.39 |
| Caramel MooLatte | Small | 490 | $5.39 |
| Vanilla MooLatte | Small | 450 | $5.19 |
| Strawberry Banana Premium Fruit Smoothie | Small | 260 | $3.89 |
| Mango Pineapple Premium Fruit Smoothie | Small | 250 | $3.89 |
| Tripleberry Premium Fruit Smoothie | Small | 280 | $3.89 |
| Misty Slush | Small | 200 | $3.09 |
Dairy Queen Lunch Deal Prices
The lunch deal sits outside the drink windows. One Dairy Queen ticket covers a cheeseburger, a chicken wrap or three chicken strips with fries, a drink and a sundae for $5.00. Most restaurants serve it from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, so it overlaps the afternoon happy hour window.
| Entree | What comes with it | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Cheeseburger | Fries, a drink and a sundae | $5.00 |
| Chicken Wrap | Fries, a drink and a sundae | $5.00 |
| 3-Piece Chicken Strips | Fries, a drink and a sundae | $5.00 |
Dairy Queen Happy Hour Questions
About the author
Sophia W. Steadham writes MenuQuill. She is a food blogger and restaurant review expert who has spent years eating her way through American chain menus, from small-town drive-thrus to national roll-outs.