Sadly the worst Dairy Queen I've ever been to. We decided to stop for lunch to break up our 8 hour drive and were pleased to have DQ as an option for lunch over Arby's or McDonalds's as we usually have a pleasant experience and enjoy the food over other fast food options. However, this stop was far from enjoyable. This DQ gladly accept credit cards only to physically write down your credit card number, expiration date and CVS code down on a piece of paper and throw it in their cashiers drawer. Service was vague to none with little expression or satisfactory drive. Service is also very very slow. Food tastes fine but presentation is poor and condiments availability (ketchup, mustard, napkins, spoons and straws) is nearly non existent. Bathrooms are disgustingly dirty. You might actually be better off at one of the other fast food locations if stopping in Albert Lea...
(1)
Tom A.
Thanks, DQ, I now have to go eat at Arby's to get the taste out of my mouth. My burger looked slapped together, top of the bun was in nearly two pieces, and the bacon tasted like TVP. Maybe it was. The fries tasted like dirty cooking grease. No napkins were stocked, which wasn't a help when I received a soft drink cup covered in soft drink. Empty during the lunch hour, in an empty parking lot, I became acutely aware this DQ would be a perfect set for a scene in a zombie movie.
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Lori V.
My family stopped at this Dairy Queen on our way home to Iowa on Easter Sunday. I was happy that they were open as we had two little ones with us that wanted to have ice cream after the meal - that is, until we saw the conditions in this restaurant. My husband and I are absolutely shocked that none of us got food poisoning from eating at this place. We would have left after walking in and our shoes sticking to the floor except that we had already promised the kids ice cream and it was Easter Sunday, so who knows if ANYTHING else was open. Upon walking into the restaurant, all of our shoes stuck to the floor. Not just in one spot was the floor sticky - it was sticky EVERYWHERE. While the booth appeared clean, there was debris on the floor from the previous day's customers (the restaurant had only been open a few minutes when we got there and was completely empty except us and the employees). My husband said it was filthy behind the counter too from what he could see. I went into the bathroom too and thought at first the place was in desperate need of renovation, but the more I looked around the more I realized that this restaurant is just FILTHY everywhere! My recommendation to management/owners would be to close down for a day or two, pull in every employee you have, and scrub ceiling to floor drains thoroughly - every surface everywhere. You must remember that the state of your restaurant is part of the experience. It doesn't matter that your food is good or that your employees are well mannered if you are too distracted by the filth to notice or trust the food safety. My recommendation to everyone else is to just avoid this place entirely until they do so. Seriously, I cannot express how dirty this place is. I've been in truck stop restrooms that are FAR, FAR cleaner. Disgusting!
(1)
Brian B.
At the time of our visit, this DQ seemed to be suffering both lack of staff and management. There were exactly two employees running the store on a busy Sunday afternoon. The "Managers Wanted" sign outside testifed to the absense of a strong guiding hand, as did the urine besplattered bathroom floor and utter sense of confusion and panic behind the counter. Picture Ice Cream Berlin, 1944: The Dairy Fuhrer cowers in an Oreo bunker while Russians and Americans advance briskly along two fronts, oversized red plastic spoons glistening from every holster. The food was slightly worse than average, and my kid got a hot dog instead of the corn dog we ordered, but given the staffing situation the employees responded valiantly. If I were 16 again getting my ass kicked at a Dairy Queen without manangement or oversight, you'd be lucky to see an open sign let alone actually get served a meal. The butterscotch coating on my dip cone was not a consistent thickness! Boo. Hoo. Overall not a great DQ experience, but not awful either. It took about 20 minutes from the time we walked in until our first bite, where it should have been 10. And, like I say, too much pee on the men's room floor. Aside from this it's fine. Store is in good condition, location is convienent, interior was reasonably clean and there's a suitable concrete patio outside for sittin'. Note: They actually don't serve ice cream here. They serve "mix." Impress your persnickety friends.
(3)
Kit R.
We didn't have any food, just ice cream, which was fine. The facility, on the other hand, was disgusting, and I am no germaphobe. My children were pulling used food wrappers from the underside of the table and the bathroom was the worst I have ever seen outside of a gas station. It was dirty and smelled horrible. Come to think of it, most gas stations are better.
Amy Z.
Sadly the worst Dairy Queen I've ever been to. We decided to stop for lunch to break up our 8 hour drive and were pleased to have DQ as an option for lunch over Arby's or McDonalds's as we usually have a pleasant experience and enjoy the food over other fast food options. However, this stop was far from enjoyable. This DQ gladly accept credit cards only to physically write down your credit card number, expiration date and CVS code down on a piece of paper and throw it in their cashiers drawer. Service was vague to none with little expression or satisfactory drive. Service is also very very slow. Food tastes fine but presentation is poor and condiments availability (ketchup, mustard, napkins, spoons and straws) is nearly non existent. Bathrooms are disgustingly dirty. You might actually be better off at one of the other fast food locations if stopping in Albert Lea...
(1)Tom A.
Thanks, DQ, I now have to go eat at Arby's to get the taste out of my mouth. My burger looked slapped together, top of the bun was in nearly two pieces, and the bacon tasted like TVP. Maybe it was. The fries tasted like dirty cooking grease. No napkins were stocked, which wasn't a help when I received a soft drink cup covered in soft drink. Empty during the lunch hour, in an empty parking lot, I became acutely aware this DQ would be a perfect set for a scene in a zombie movie.
(1)Lori V.
My family stopped at this Dairy Queen on our way home to Iowa on Easter Sunday. I was happy that they were open as we had two little ones with us that wanted to have ice cream after the meal - that is, until we saw the conditions in this restaurant. My husband and I are absolutely shocked that none of us got food poisoning from eating at this place. We would have left after walking in and our shoes sticking to the floor except that we had already promised the kids ice cream and it was Easter Sunday, so who knows if ANYTHING else was open. Upon walking into the restaurant, all of our shoes stuck to the floor. Not just in one spot was the floor sticky - it was sticky EVERYWHERE. While the booth appeared clean, there was debris on the floor from the previous day's customers (the restaurant had only been open a few minutes when we got there and was completely empty except us and the employees). My husband said it was filthy behind the counter too from what he could see. I went into the bathroom too and thought at first the place was in desperate need of renovation, but the more I looked around the more I realized that this restaurant is just FILTHY everywhere! My recommendation to management/owners would be to close down for a day or two, pull in every employee you have, and scrub ceiling to floor drains thoroughly - every surface everywhere. You must remember that the state of your restaurant is part of the experience. It doesn't matter that your food is good or that your employees are well mannered if you are too distracted by the filth to notice or trust the food safety. My recommendation to everyone else is to just avoid this place entirely until they do so. Seriously, I cannot express how dirty this place is. I've been in truck stop restrooms that are FAR, FAR cleaner. Disgusting!
(1)Brian B.
At the time of our visit, this DQ seemed to be suffering both lack of staff and management. There were exactly two employees running the store on a busy Sunday afternoon. The "Managers Wanted" sign outside testifed to the absense of a strong guiding hand, as did the urine besplattered bathroom floor and utter sense of confusion and panic behind the counter. Picture Ice Cream Berlin, 1944: The Dairy Fuhrer cowers in an Oreo bunker while Russians and Americans advance briskly along two fronts, oversized red plastic spoons glistening from every holster. The food was slightly worse than average, and my kid got a hot dog instead of the corn dog we ordered, but given the staffing situation the employees responded valiantly. If I were 16 again getting my ass kicked at a Dairy Queen without manangement or oversight, you'd be lucky to see an open sign let alone actually get served a meal. The butterscotch coating on my dip cone was not a consistent thickness! Boo. Hoo. Overall not a great DQ experience, but not awful either. It took about 20 minutes from the time we walked in until our first bite, where it should have been 10. And, like I say, too much pee on the men's room floor. Aside from this it's fine. Store is in good condition, location is convienent, interior was reasonably clean and there's a suitable concrete patio outside for sittin'. Note: They actually don't serve ice cream here. They serve "mix." Impress your persnickety friends.
(3)Kit R.
We didn't have any food, just ice cream, which was fine. The facility, on the other hand, was disgusting, and I am no germaphobe. My children were pulling used food wrappers from the underside of the table and the bathroom was the worst I have ever seen outside of a gas station. It was dirty and smelled horrible. Come to think of it, most gas stations are better.
(1)