Dairy Queen wants to start spring off right with free ice cream.
The fast-food ice cream and burger chain has been hosting “Free Cone Day” since 2015, celebrating the change of seasons by handing out free vanilla soft serve cones. This year’s giveaway will be on Thursday, March 19th, which falls on Friday, March 20th, the day before the arrival of spring.
Dairy Queen is also giving one customer the chance to earn free cones for a year. For your chance to win, download the DQ app and sign up for the DQ Rewards loyalty program.
“Free Cone Day is all about celebrating the simple joys of warm weather, traditional vanilla cones, and the happiness that comes from sharing smiles,” Maria Håkanson, executive vice president of marketing for American Dairy Queen Corporation, said in a news release. “Seeing people light up on free cones is really special. This year, we’re excited to give away more cones than ever and create even more happy moments for our fans.”
Here’s what you need to know about Dairy Queen’s 2026 Free Cone Day and how to get a free ice cream cone.
How to get free cones at Dairy Queen
Visit any Dairy Queen location outside participating malls on Thursday, March 19th and get a free small vanilla soft serve cone. No need to purchase (one per person) while supplies last. This offer does not apply to delivery or mobile orders. On March 19th, visit DairyQueen.com or use the DQ app to find a DQ restaurant near you.
Mike Snyder is a national trends news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, and X, and email him at: mike snyder & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.
