The decision was revealed as part of a letter William Barrier, Dairy Queen’s executive vice president of product development and quality, penned to the Center for Science in Public Interest.
Read a copy of the letter here.
The decision made by Dairy Queen is similar to announcements that have already come down from fast food chains including McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King.
“Dairy Queen deserves credit for being responsive to the concerns of parents, who increasingly want to be able to order off the kids’ menu without having to say ‘no’ to soda,” Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at CSPI said in a statement.
The move is expected to come by Sept. 1. Like its competitors, Dairy Queen offers milk, juice and bottled water to complete kid’s meals.
Dairy Queen’s decision comes at a time when fast food establishments across the board are under increased pressure to phase out sugary beverages and offer more health-conscious options.
Of course, parents still have the option to order pop for their children if they wish, and this decision by Dairy Queen will apply to directly only to corporate locations, and franchise owners will have the choice for themselves whether or not to prominently feature soda pop alongside the kid’s menu.
