Not every Dairy Queen location is the same kind of business — some operate as treat-focused, often seasonal soft-serve shops, while others run the full food-service "Grill & Chill" format — and which one you're buying changes what the diligence, staffing, and even closing-date timing should look like. We act as independent counsel for buyers and sellers of individual Dairy Queen locations in Ontario; this page is not affiliated with or endorsed by Dairy Queen Canada Inc.
Dairy Queen resales follow the franchisor's own approval process on top of the usual purchase mechanics — here's how the two run together.
Getting approved
Conditions should reflect the format you're buying — a seasonal treat shop's financials need to be read differently than a year-round Grill & Chill restaurant's.
1–2 weeks†Review of the buyer's background and financial capacity, calibrated to the format and scale of the specific location.
3–6 weeks†Confirming the location meets current standards for its specific format, whether that's a treat shop or a full Grill & Chill restaurant.
2–4 weeks, in parallel†Getting to closing
A franchisor-facilitated resale can look exempt from Arthur Wishart Act disclosure requirements — Ontario courts have read that resale exemption narrowly, so we assess whether disclosure may still be required.
assessed early, runs in parallel†Landlord consent to assign the lease — seasonal or shorter-term leases at treat-only locations sometimes carry their own quirks worth reviewing closely.
2–5 weeks†Training scoped to the format being transferred runs alongside final transfer approval before closing.
3–6 weeks, then closing†CFA Look For A Franchise listing confirms Dairy Queen Canada Inc. as a CFA member since 2000 with hundreds of Canadian franchise units
Part of Dairy Queen's large Canadian network with widespread Ontario coverage
This is the first real decision in a Dairy Queen resale — and it changes what you're buying, what you're taking on, and how the franchise agreement moves.
| Question | Asset purchase | Share purchase |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise agreement | New agreement issued to the incoming operator, on Dairy Queen's then-current terms. | Existing agreement can stay in place, with Dairy Queen still reviewing and consenting to the ownership change. |
| Lease / premises | Landlord consent to assign; seasonal or shorter-term leases at treat-only locations need their own review. | Lease usually continues unless it carries its own change-of-control clause. |
| Equipment | Soft-serve machines and, at Grill & Chill locations, kitchen equipment transfer as itemized assets, confirmed against any leases or liens. | Equipment stays with the corporation; existing service and lease arrangements carry over. |
| Staff (ESA) | Employment Standards Act continuity rules typically govern how crew carry over — a real consideration where staffing is seasonal. | Employment generally continues without interruption — the employer doesn't change. |
| Tax angle | Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased; an HST election may apply. | Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares. |
| Typical use | The default for both treat-shop and Grill & Chill transfers. | Less common — sometimes used by multi-location operator groups selling the holding company. |
New agreement issued to the incoming operator, on Dairy Queen's then-current terms.
Existing agreement can stay in place, with Dairy Queen still reviewing and consenting to the ownership change.
Landlord consent to assign; seasonal or shorter-term leases at treat-only locations need their own review.
Lease usually continues unless it carries its own change-of-control clause.
Soft-serve machines and, at Grill & Chill locations, kitchen equipment transfer as itemized assets, confirmed against any leases or liens.
Equipment stays with the corporation; existing service and lease arrangements carry over.
Employment Standards Act continuity rules typically govern how crew carry over — a real consideration where staffing is seasonal.
Employment generally continues without interruption — the employer doesn't change.
Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased; an HST election may apply.
Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares.
The default for both treat-shop and Grill & Chill transfers.
Less common — sometimes used by multi-location operator groups selling the holding company.
We tell you which structure fits — before you sign anything.
No open-ended hourly surprises — the cost is confirmed in writing before any work begins.
| Type of work | Fee | How it's confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Straightforward purchase or sale | Starting from $3,388.87 Our charges · taxes included | Confirmed in writing once we see the agreement. |
| Larger or more complex deal | Quoted to scope | Short call → fixed written quote before any work begins. |
| Searches, filings & third-party fees | At cost | Itemized on your invoice, not marked up. |
A single Dairy Queen treat shop or Grill & Chill restaurant changing hands between an outgoing and incoming operator, on a standard lease.
Start my file →A multi-location Dairy Queen operator selling several restaurants together, or a transfer that includes a proposed format conversion.
Book a consultation →Not sure which you are? That's our job to figure out, not yours. As a rough guide, most deals under a couple of million dollars are the first kind — above that, you're usually in Mergers & Acquisitions territory.
A treat-focused location centres on soft-serve, blizzards and similar treat items and often operates seasonally, while a Grill & Chill restaurant runs a full food-service menu typically year-round — the two have different staffing, equipment, and cash-flow patterns worth understanding before you make an offer. We tailor your diligence checklist to which format you're actually buying.
Seasonal financials need to be read across a full operating cycle rather than compared month-to-month against a year-round restaurant, and off-season closures affect things like staff continuity and lease terms differently too. We factor seasonality into how we help you review the numbers and structure your conditions.
The core steps — franchisor consent, disclosure considerations, lease assignment, training — apply to both, but the specific review of equipment, staffing needs, and site standards is calibrated to whichever format you're buying. We don't treat a treat-shop transfer and a full-restaurant transfer as identical just because they're the same brand.
Specialty equipment like soft-serve machines is typically itemized in an asset sale, subject to confirming what's owned outright versus leased or financed — a real consideration for treat-focused locations where that equipment is central to the business. We run the searches to confirm what's actually included before price is finalized.
That would be a franchisor-approved conversion decision, not something built into an ordinary resale — if that's part of your plan, we'd want to understand Dairy Queen's own requirements for a format change before you commit to the purchase. Treat a format conversion as a separate project from the resale itself.
Related
Where we close franchise resale deals
Treadstone Law is an independent law firm. We act for buyers and sellers of franchise businesses. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or retained by Dairy Queen or its franchisor.
Tell us about your Dairy Queen resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.