Short answer
For an open Dairy Queen, Merchant Fund Express offers a business loan, a merchant cash advance, revenue-based financing, a line of credit, equipment financing or working capital, from $5,000 to $5,000,000. Common uses are soft-serve and Blizzard equipment, freezers, grill and fryer gear, summer staffing and drive-thru upgrades. A complete file (application, three months of business bank statements, owner ID) usually gets a decision in 2–4 hours.
Every way to fund your Dairy Queen location
Already running a Dairy Queen location and need capital? Merchant Fund Express funds existing franchise owners with every structure below, from $5,000 to $5,000,000, on one application. Terms depend on the business's revenue and history.
| Product | What it does at a Dairy Queen location |
|---|---|
| Business loan | A fixed sum for a drive-thru expansion or interior update. |
| Merchant cash advance | Quick cash repaid from card sales, built for a machine that fails at the start of summer. |
| Revenue-based financing | A sales-linked payment that shrinks in winter and grows in July. |
| Line of credit | A revolving limit for dairy mix, food and paper ahead of peak weeks. |
| Equipment financing | Soft-serve machines, dipping cabinets, freezers, grills and fryers on a quote. |
| Working capital | Manager and crew pay through the off-season. |
What Dairy Queen owners call about
Soft-serve uptime
Blizzard and cone sales depend on the soft-serve machines. A breakdown in June is the costliest kind.
Treats and grill under one roof
Grill and Chill stores carry a full hot-food kitchen alongside the dessert side, doubling the equipment list.
Seasonal swings
Summer evenings carry the year in many markets; winter months still bring rent and payroll.
Certified managers
Each restaurant needs certified managers on staff, and keeping good ones means paying them through the slow season.
Fastest fit for each Dairy Queen need
| The need | Usually fits | Send with the application |
|---|---|---|
| Soft-serve machine down | Equipment financing | Vendor quote |
| Stock mix and supplies before summer | Inventory funding | Supplier order |
| Keep managers paid in winter | Seasonal cash flow | Twelve months of statements if handy |
| Drive-thru stack or window work | Business loan | Contractor bid |
| Freezer or walk-in replacement | Refrigeration | Replacement quote |
Reading a Dairy Queen store's year
Dairy Queen lists a 4% royalty and a marketing fee of 5% to 6%. Those draws come out before the owner sees what is left.
The bigger issue for most owners is the calendar. A strong July and a quiet February can look like two different businesses. Merchant Fund Express reads the deposits in context, and products tied to sales, such as revenue-based financing, keep winter payments in proportion. If the request is seasonal, say so on the application and include a longer statement history if you have it.
How fast it moves, and what to send
- Apply in about 4 minutesName Dairy Queen as the brand, the amount and the job the money does.
- Send three months of statementsBusiness bank statements for the entity that owns the location, plus photo ID for each owner.
- Decision in 2–4 hoursA specialist reads deposits and current payments, then returns the fit.
- FundsSame-day funding is available; funding often lands the next business day.
A Dairy Queen file, start to finish (hypothetical)
A Dairy Queen Grill and Chill owner heads into May with one soft-serve machine failing and a large mix and supplies order due. They ask for $35,000: $21,000 for the machine on a vendor quote and $14,000 for opening-season stock. A specialist could place the machine on equipment financing and fund the stock with revenue-based financing that moves with summer sales.
Illustration only. It shows how a request gets sized; it is not a past deal or an offer.
Dairy Queen at a glance (public sources)
From Dairy Queen's franchising pages, Berkshire Hathaway's FY2025 Form 10-K and the SBA Franchise Directory. The investment range carries no stated disclosure year.
Sources: SEC filing · dairyqueenfranchising.com (investment opportunity) · dairyqueenfranchising.com (building types) · dairyqueenfranchising.com. Checked Oct 2026. Figures change with each disclosure year; confirm current terms with the franchisor. Anything we could not verify is left out.
Owner questions, answered
How soon can a Dairy Queen owner be funded?
Most complete files get a decision in 2–4 hours, with same-day funding available.
Can I fund equipment before summer starts?
Yes. Send the quote now. Soft-serve machines and freezers at an operating store are routine requests.
My territory is run by a territory operator. Does that matter?
No. Merchant Fund Express funds the store you own on its own deposits, whoever administers your franchise.
Will slow winter deposits hurt my file?
Not on their own. Seasonality is normal for the brand; a longer history and a short note help the specialist read it.
Are you affiliated with Dairy Queen?
No. We have no business tie to Dairy Queen or the company that franchises it, and neither has endorsed us. The name is on this page only so Dairy Queen owners can find funding written for their locations.
Keep going
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Dairy Queen or its franchisor. Merchant Fund Express is a separate, independent company; the brand appears here so its owners can find this page. Terms depend on the business's revenue and history.