#6: Dairy Queen

In 1938, John Fremont McCullough and his son Alex perfected a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth soft-serve recipe destined to take America by storm. Partnering with Sherb Noble, they unveiled the first Dairy Queen in Joliet, Illinois, in 1940.

The response? Nothing short of legendary—over 1,600 servings flew out the door on opening day. Realizing they had something special, they wasted no time franchising the concept, turning a single ice cream shop into a beloved national treasure.