DQ Value Menu — more than a buck

Before I start talking food, a moment of silence for the dearly departed Seattle Post-Intelligencer, which reported, earlier this month, this weird story about a Dairy Queen employee accused of tampering with the malt mix. Is nothing sacred? The malt mix or yesterday’s last run of the print P-I?

I had a very good chocolate malt at my local Dairy Queen at 434 W. 85th Street, which is offering the company’s value menu. Unlike some of the fast food competition, Dairy Queen isn’t offering a select group of items for a buck. No, they’re wheeling and dealing. The current value menu at DQ offers nine different choices: a regular cheeseburger, a hot dog, a chicken wrap, a side salad, regular onion rings, regular fries, a small soft drink, a small sundae, or a small dipped cone.

Customers can order any two of these treats for three bucks, three for four bucks and four for five bucks. That averages out to about $1.33 each.

A friend and I like watching the DQ employees at the 85th Street location toss the frozen burger patties, like Frisbees, on the brazier grill. The burgers are really good, even the value-priced ones. The hot dog was grilled and juicy, but it was so skinny, I first thought it was a pencil on a bun.

There were a couple of construction workers in the place and they ordered eight of each item on the list. “I never get the hot dog,” one told me.

I know why! But I ate it anyway!