Dairy Queen Free Ice Cream: Here's How To Get Your Complimentary Scoop

Monday marked the first day of spring, a time of boundless optimism: No more snow, longer and warmer days, blooming flowers and, yes, even free ice cream.

Every year on the first day of spring, soft-serve ice cream chain Dairy Queen celebrates the end of the long, hard winter by offering free vanilla ice cream cones to their customers at non-mall locations. It's one scoop and it's for a good cause.

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The Minnesota-based company offers a free cone day to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a nonprofit that raises funds for children’s hospitals and medical research. The effort is also intended to boost awareness to improve children's lives across 170 children’s hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. Dairy Queen customers don’t have to spend money on their cones, but they are encouraged to donate to the Miracle Network.

"Free cones have become a fan tradition — they love it. The icing on the cake is supporting Children's Miracle Network Hospitals," said Barry Westrum, executive vice president of Marketing for American Dairy Queen Corporation. "We can't think of a better way to show our appreciation to fans, kick off the Spring season and support such an amazing cause than with a Free Cone Day."

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Last year, the ice cream giveaway raised $200,000, according to the company. Over the past 32 years, it has raised over $120 million for the Children’s Miracle Network.

There are over 6,000 Dairy Queen locations worldwide and there is a restaurant locator on the official website.