Being a parent can be challenging and when it came time for a single Frisco dad with four children to mark one of his kids’ birthdays, he wanted to do something special. But it didn’t turn out the way Bill Hockensmith planned.
“I will never forget the day my son bought a DQ Cake for his 15-year-old daughter Grace because it was her favorite,” said Grandmother Sharon Hockensmith of McKinney. “When he got home, he put the cake in the refrigerator instead of the freezer. When the big day came, he hauled it out only to realize it was melted flat. We put candles on the rather lop-sided cake and sang "Happy Birthday" anyway. Then we spooned the melted cake into bowls and ate it up. Even melted, it was almost as delicious. Grace especially loved it because she had a good laugh at her dad's expense!”
Mrs. Hockensmith said Grace is a freshman at Frisco Independence and plays on the junior varsity soccer team.
“My husband is a Vietnam veteran, and a retired USAF fighter pilot,” she explained. “His last aircraft was the F-16. I am a retired research manager and former teacher at the University of Texas at San Antonio. We settled in McKinney to be near our four grandchildren: Chase 17, Grace 15, Caitlin 13, and Colton 10, who live in Frisco with their dad.”
DQ® restaurants in Texas are celebrating their 75th anniversary of the DQ brand in Texas and invited fans to share their favorite memories and stories. Fans can share their favorite stories and photos by visiting dqtexas.com/anniversary.
“We love to hear stories like this from our fans,” said Lou Romanus, CEO of the Texas Dairy Queen Operator’s Council. “With nearly 600 DQ restaurants in Texas, it seems everyone I meet has a wonderful story to share about visiting their local DQ restaurant. For generations, DQ restaurants are the places Texans go for their favorite hot food and cool treats, and they will be the first to say, “That’s what I like about Texas.”
DQ restaurants in Texas have a unique food menu that includes the Dude® CLASSIC Chick’n Fried Steak Sandwich, the Hungr-Buster®, the BeltBuster®, and the truly awesome Triple-Buster®. Then, there’s the Texas T-Brand Tacos®, the Steak Finger Country Basket®, and Chicken and Dumplings, based on a homemade recipe from a DQ restaurant franchise owner’s mom.
The full DQ treat lineup is the sweetest reason to visit the restaurant with friends and family. From a sundae to a delicious Dilly® Bar, Dipped Cone or Blizzard® Treat, everyone seems to have their favorite item.
There are few brands as iconic as the DQ brand. Innovative DQ treats and eats, along with the unique DQ restaurant concepts, have positioned DQ restaurants in Texas as a leader in the quick service restaurant industry. The Texas Dairy Queen Operators' Council is a nonprofit organization made up of DQ franchisees operating in Texas. The Council develops the advertising and marketing program for DQ franchisees in Texas and controls the Texas Country Foods menu along with managing supply/distribution for the nearly 600 DQ restaurants in Texas. The DQ restaurants in Texas are franchised by American Dairy Queen Corporation and the DQ franchise system includes approximately 7,000 franchised locations in the United States, Canada, and more than 20 other countries, including the nearly 600 DQ restaurants in Texas.
For more information about the Texas Dairy Queen Operators’ Council, visit dqtexas.com or follow us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.