The Best Secret Menu Items To Try at Dairy Queen This Summer

Banana Split Blizzard, anyone?

Dairy Queen has got to be one of our most-visited places in the summertime. It's the ideal spot to cool down with frozen treats, with everything from Blizzards to parfaits, dipped cones to Dilly Bars. And while Dairy Queen knows how to keep us coming back for more—with seasonal menu additions and monthly Blizzard flavors—we still find ourselves intrigued when we come across so-called secret menu items.

In the case of Dairy Queen, these "secret" items mostly arrive in the form of off-menu combinations that take full advantage of the existing mix-ins, toppings, and dips that DQ has in stock at the moment. As with every unofficial secret menu, the secret to successful ordering is asking nicely during off-peak hours (oh, and tipping well!)—you don't want to be that guy in the line. From loaded, layered parfaits to innovative Blizzards, these are the secret menu items you should be trying at DQ this summer.

The Best Secret Menu Items at Dairy Queen

Banana Split Blizzard

Many of the most popular secret menu items are actually discontinued fan favorites that DQ is still able to make upon request. The Banana Split Blizzard is a perfect example of that. Most locations will remember what goes into one but if yours doesn't, ask for a Blizzard with chocolate topping, strawberries, pineapples and bananas. All that's missing is the cherry on top!

Custom Banana Splits

Speaking of banana splits, you may know that Dairy Queen has good old-fashioned banana splits, but did you know that you can customize them? That's right. You can order a banana split with any toppings and sauces your store has in stock. We saw one Elvis-inspired banana split—made with peanut butter and chocolate sauce, topped with peanuts and Reese’s peanut butter cups—that had us practically grabbing our keys to hit the nearest DQ ASAP.

Cookie Jar Blizzard

Here's another example of a discontinued menu item that lives on in the form of an off-menu favorite. This bakery-inspired treat is chock full of cookie dough and cookies pieces, and there's no risk of getting your hand stuck in the cookie jar, either. To order one, simply ask for a vanilla Blizzard with Oreos, cookie dough, and hot fudge. For a bonus, ask the DQ staff for both kinds of cookie dough—they should currently stock the standard chocolate chip cookie dough as well as a confetti cookie dough from the seasonal Cake Batter Cookie Dough Blizzard.

Red, White, & Blue Misty Float

The 4th of July may have passed, but you don't need an occasion to enjoy this off-menu patriotic pleaser. The tricolor confection pairs DQ's vanilla soft serve with two flavors of its Misty slushy drinks: the blue raspberry and either of the red flavors (cherry or strawberry kiwi). To order, you can simply ask for the 4th of July Misty Float, or a vanilla soft serve with both slushy flavors in the cup.

Butterbeer Blizzard

Calling all Harry Potter fans! You don't need to take a trip to Universal Studios to get a taste of the beloved, butterscotch beverage of The Leaky Cauldron fame. Just order a Butterbeer Blizzard by name, or if the staff isn't familiar, ask for a Blizzard with vanilla syrup, butterscotch syrup, Butterfinger crumbles, and whipped cream.

"Crunch" Coated Cones

According to one TikTok, you can order any ice cream cone rolled in a special "crunch" coating that features a mix of sprinkles and crushed peanut butter nougat. After doing some digging I found that this items availability depends on location, so your local DQ may or may not carry it.

S'mores Galore Parfait

It's official: it's the Summer of S'mores. If the fan favorite S'mores Blizzard isn't enough for you and you need even s'more, try the same flavor combo in the form of a parfait. This is another old menu item, and a particularly nostalgic one at that. With layers of fudge, marshmallow, crushed graham crackers, and soft serve, there's nothing not to love.

Peanut Butter Bash

Another retired menu item you can still order is the Peanut Butter Bash. If your DQ doesn't know this one by name, simply order a hot fudge and peanut butter sundae with chocolate chunks on top. If you're looking to take it over the top, you can substitute the chocolate chunks with Reese's peanut butter cups, crushed Oreo cookies, or peanuts.

Banana Cream Pie Blizzard

This secret menu item resurrects a Blizzard that was discontinued more than a decade ago, but after one taste of this treat you'll be begging DQ to put it back on the menu. To order a Banana Cream Pie Blizzard ask for a Blizzard with vanilla soft serve, banana, whipped cream (yes, blended in), and pie pieces, Nilla wafers, or graham crackers depending on the season and what your local DQ has in stock. We think it'd taste even better with cheesecake chunks blended in, but that's just us.

Mud Pie Blizzard

Chocolate-lovers, this one is for you. For the ultimate chocolate experience, order a chocolate blizzard with cake crunch and fudge mixed in. The whipped cream on top is optional, but is it really optional? We think not.