Dairy Queen’s Expanding To Puerto Rico: Here’s What We Know

Dairy Queen has long had a footprint that extends beyond the continental United States. It’s operated in countries like Mexico and Panama for decades and extended its reach to Caribbean countries like Trinidad and Tobago in the 2010s, marking an increase in its reach and operations. 

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One location where it’s not had a continuous presence for a while, though, is Puerto Rico – but that’s all set to change in the coming years. Dairy Queen has just announced that it’ll be opening new locations in the territory, and it looks set to establish itself quite firmly over time. Here’s what we know.

Dairy Queen In Puerto Rico

International Dairy Queen, Inc. announced yesterday that it had finalized a deal to open 20 DQ Grill & Chill restaurants in Puerto Rico over the next decade. It will be working with Caribbean Creamery, a franchise operator and affiliate of Richport Restaurants LLC, with the first restaurant set to open in the first quarter of 2027 in San Juan. The following 19 restaurants are expected to open by 2036.

Dairy Queen previously had restaurants in Puerto Rico, but it hasn’t been a fixture in the territory for more than two decades. This deal looks set to change that and further increase its presence. “This new deal expands our established footprint in the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico,” said International Dairy Queen’s chief operating officer, Nicolas Boudet, in a press statement. chief operating officer, international, at International Dairy Queen. “We look forward to working alongside Caribbean Creamery to introduce the DQ brand to fans across Puerto Rico.” More dipped cones for everyone!

But It’ll Have Competition…

Dairy Queen’s re-entry to the Puerto Rico market will see it rubbing shoulders with a host of other major restaurant chains that already operate there, including McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, Taco Bell, and Chick-fil-A. The latter is currently pursuing a propulsive expansion strategy in Puerto Rico: In 2024, it announced plans to grow its footprint by 15 stores by 2030, and it offers Puerto Rico-specific menu items you wouldn’t find elsewhere.

Other restaurant chains, meanwhile, have, as of 2026, not pursued expansion in the territory. In-N-Out, White Castle, Chipotle, Shake Shack, and others are absent from Puerto Rico and have yet to announce plans to enter the market. Given Dairy Queen’s announcement, we wouldn’t be surprised if they held off. There’s going to be a lot more competition in the coming years. Given that Dairy Queen’s just revamped its Blizzard menu, it’s been a busy few weeks for the chain.