ALL IN GOOD TASTE
restaurant because“ you only have one chance to make a first impression.” Daniel said his favorite thing about owning DQ is the relationship he has with his customers.
“ I feel like I know them.” Daniel said,“ I want people to come in here and have it be about much more than just eating. I’ m trying to provide the finest fast food eating experience in this area.”
Many Monroe Countians believe Daniel is doing just that if Dairy Queen’ s sales figures are any indication. In 2011, the Forsyth Dairy Queen ranked in the top five in total sales for all Dairy Queens located in Georgia and Florida. Daniel estimated there are about 400 Dairy Queens total in those two states.
One major reason that the Forsyth Dairy Queen gets so much support from locals is that Daniel has at one time or another supported many of them. In fact, Daniel estimates his restaurant has employed about 500 persons during his ownership tenure, many of whom still live and work in Monroe County.
“ It’ s the repeat customers who keep us open,” he said. One of those repeat customers is Daniel’ s close friend, Keith“ Spanky” Harbuck, who said there are two simple reasons he keeps going back to Dairy Queen.
“ There are good people working there, and it has good food,” he said.
Harbuck added it helps that Daniel is a good Christian man who donates to charitable causes. than it was when he started in 1990 for two major reasons: the facility is newer and more user-friendly and the programs that Dairy Queen implements at the corporate level have proven to be effective. The biggest
Local ownership makes Forsyth Dairy Queen a darn popular restaurant, and they serve more than just ice cream and burgers.
However, in a county of about 26,000 residents, it takes support from outsiders as well for a restaurant to be as successful as Dairy Queen has been. Dairy Queen is strategically located just off I-75, and Daniel said many of the same snowbirds from the North stop at the Forsyth Dairy Queen every year during their travels up and down the interstate.
Daniel said operating Dairy Queen is much easier now difference, Daniel said is that he has had to double the number of employees to about 50 currently.
While DQ’ s menu has expanded greatly through the years, some of the long-time Dairy Queen standards remain customer favorites. Daniel said his top-selling items are the four-piece chicken finger basket, the double cheeseburger combo and the Oreo blizzard. Daniel said his personal favorite menu item is the Reeses Cup blizzard. Kyle’ s favorite item is the original cheeseburger, while Laura said her favorite is a caramel moolatte.
The busiest part of the day at Dairy Queen is between noon and 1 p. m. during lunch and right after school lets out in the afternoon. Daniel said Sunday nights and anytime something is going on at the Monroe County Recreation Department are other times when DQ stays busy. The restaurant’ s most successful months are usually April and July when the weather is warm. In contrast, maintaining solid seasonal sales during the winter can be a challenge sometimes, Daniel said.
Kyle Daniel said the best thing about his job, which he has held for two years, is that he gets to work with his family. With that comes pressure, he said, because the fact that his dad is his boss gives him extra incentive to excel because he doesn’ t want to disappoint his father.
Kyle is the oldest of the Daniels’ three children. The couple, which has been married for 31 years, also has a daughter Rachel, 20 and a son Dawson, 13.“ I have a wonderful family,” Ronnie Daniel said. Most Monroe Countians would agree Daniel has a wonderful restaurant also.
Vinson Appraisal Services
Commercial • Land • Residential
Greg Vinson
Gregvinson @ bellsouth. net
478-714-5013
P. O. Box 824 Forsyth, GA 31029
Certified General Real Property Appraiser, GA # CG249125
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