Hot? It’s Free Cone Day at Dairy Queen

Dairy Queen is celebrating its 75th anniversary in maybe the only way its fans can truly appreciate — with free ice cream.

The Minnesota-based company is giving away free small vanilla cones today at participating locations. The promotion is limited to one cone per person. Because no one likes a greedy ice cream eater.

Dairy Queen also plans on celebrating its anniversary beyond Free Cone Day.

“We will surprise and delight our fans year-round with food and treat innovations that they have come to expect from us,” Barry Westrum, executive vice president of marketing for Dairy Queen, said in a release.”

Dairy Queen founder Sherb Noble was running three ice cream shops in 1938, when he was approached by J.F. McCullough and his son Alex, who introduced him to soft serve ice cream. Noble marketed the new style of ice cream with a 10-cent all you can eat sale, and ending up selling 1,600 servings in 90 minutes.

The first Dairy Queen opened in Joliet, Ill., in 1940. There are now more than 6,000 stores in more than 18 countries.

Free food tastes better. Follow me on Twitter @Jenn_Harris_