Whether it’s a fast-food lunch or a coffee shop pastry, eating out in the U.S. feels like it costs more with every passing month. Even small “treat yourself” moments, like grabbing a cookie or a cone, can now run close to what used to be a full meal.
One Illinois woman decided to film her latest sticker shock moment after what was supposed to be a simple dessert stop ended in disbelief.
Illinois Woman Shocked at Dairy Queen Prices
TikToker Britny (@britny_k5) posted a video sharing her experience trying to find an affordable treat during her errands. Her clip quickly drew attention, reaching more than 18,800 views.
“I’ve been out and about running errands today, and I thought, oh, I deserve a little treat,” she says at the start of the video. “Went to lunch with my husband, did some shopping, got some pumpkins to carve, and I was like, I’ll get a little treat.”
Her first stop was Crumbl Cookies. Specifically, she had her eye on the viral Dubai cookie.
“I just want one,” she says. “I don’t need all four. I don’t have the self-control for that.”
But when she opened the app, reality hit. “It was almost $8 before tax,” she says. “Absolutely not. I’m not spending that on one cookie.”
So she decided to grab ice cream instead. “I’ll go get a little bit of ice cream,” she says. “Whatever.”
‘$7.20 for a Small Blizzard. Excuse Me?’
Britny pulled into Dairy Queen and ordered what she thought was a simple small blizzard.
“It’s pumpkin cheesecake. Nothing special, nothing fancy,” she says, laughing. “She didn’t tell me till I got to the window. $7.20 for a small blizzard. $7.20!”
She shakes her head in disbelief. “Excuse me. I should have just got the dang cookie I wanted in the first place,” she says.
Still, she wasn’t about to waste it. “You best believe I’m gonna lick this entire cup clean and get my $7 worth,” she says. “Because that is outrageous. Outrageous.”
In her caption, she sums it up perfectly: “$7.20 for a blizzard?! In this economy?!”
Dairy Queen Prices Have Been Climbing
According to a statement by Dairy Queen CEO Troy Bader in 2023, prices had risen roughly 11% over just two years. That number lines up with what customers have been feeling and complaining about online.
This year, several users took to social media to share similar frustrations, with one saying they couldn’t believe how much Blizzards now cost. In response, the company clarified that each Dairy Queen franchise sets its own prices, meaning costs can vary depending on location.
@britny_k5 $7.20 for a blizzard?! In this economy?! #dairyqueen #crumblecookie #economy #treatyourself #fyp ♬ original sound – Britny
Dining Out Costs Keep Rising Across the Board
The Consumer Price Index shows that “food away from home” prices, meaning restaurants and fast-food chains, rose 0.3% from July to August 2025, and were 3.9% higher than the previous year.
Looking ahead, prices for restaurant and fast-food items are expected to increase by another 3.3% in 2026, according to federal data.
So while Britny’s $7 Blizzard might feel extreme, it reflects a wider reality: eating out, even casually, is getting more expensive everywhere.
The Mary Sue has reached out to Britny (@britny_k5) and Dairy Queen via email for comment.
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