Some cafes change with every trend. Dairy Queen Glenroy has stayed exactly the same in the way that matters most: good food, good coffee, and looking after the community that's kept coming back since 1956.
This year marks 40 years since the family took over the business, and we sat down with the team to talk about four decades of history, the biggest decision they've made in that time, switching coffee suppliers after more than 30 years, and why that decision turned out to be one of the easiest calls they've made.
A Glenroy Institution, Four Generations in the Making
Dairy Queen has been serving Glenroy since 1956, but it's been a family affair since 1986, when Mary and Zak bought the business and built it into the community fixture it is today. Now retired but still very much involved, they've passed the reins to their children, who run the cafe seven days a week.
"We're a family owned and operated business, and I think that's what people love about us," the team told us. "It's always been about good food, good coffee and looking after our community."
That philosophy shows up on the menu. Dairy Queen is one of the few cafés left with a proper sandwich bar, alongside a full breakfast and lunch menu, a grab-and-go cabinet, bain-marie meals, specialty drinks and, of course, plenty of coffee, all made fresh, in-house, every single day.
"While we're a fast-paced takeaway cafe with a huge operation, the community we've built is what really sets us apart," they said. "Some of our customers have been coming here since we were kids, and many have been grabbing their coffee from us every day for decades." Over the past ten years, that community has grown well beyond the counter, with a thriving catering arm now supplying fresh catering boxes to everyone from local businesses to large corporate clients.
Thirty Years With One Supplier, and a Decision That Wasn't Made Lightly
Before joining Roasting Warehouse, Dairy Queen had been with the same coffee supplier for more than three decades. Changing wasn't something the family ever thought they'd do.
"To be honest, changing coffee suppliers after more than 30 years was a massive decision for us," they explained. "We felt like our previous supplier had grown into a much bigger commercial business, and somewhere along the way, the little family cafes like ours got left behind."
Word travelled fast that Dairy Queen was in the market for a new coffee partner, and that's when Joe from Roasting Warehouse got involved. "He barely let us breathe before he had the whole changeover organised," the team laughed. "It sounds funny now, but it actually took a lot of the stress out of such a big decision. They understood that changing coffee suppliers after 30 years wasn't something we'd take lightly, so they made the whole process feel easy."
From choosing the right blend for their customers to organising the entire transition, Roasting Warehouse handled the changeover from start to finish.
What ultimately sealed the decision, though, wasn't logistics, it was values. "The biggest thing for us was that they have the same family values we do. They're passionate about coffee, they genuinely care about the cafés they work with, and you don't feel like just another account."
The Evolve Blend: A Fuller-Bodied Fit for Loyal Regulars
Dairy Queen now pours the Evolve Blend, and it's been an immediate hit. "Our customers love a fuller-bodied coffee, and the feedback has been great from day one," the team said. Lattes, flat whites and cappuccinos are the biggest sellers on the menu, unsurprising for a cafe where coffee is as central to the identity as the sandwich bar.
"Coffee is a huge part of what we do, and we genuinely believe we've got some of the best coffee in the area," they said. "We have so many regulars who come in every single day for their coffee, so consistency is everything, and that's exactly what the Evolve Blend gives us."
Consistency, Training and Fresh Ideas Behind the Machine
For a cafe built on decades of daily regulars, consistency isn't a nice-to-have, it's the whole game. "When you've got customers coming in every single day for their coffee, they notice if something changes," the team told us. Since switching, that consistency has been front and centre.
"The coffee is consistent, our customers love it, and our team has confidence knowing every cup is going to be what people expect. Roasting Warehouse already had a great reputation, and we feel like it's been a really good fit for our customer base."
The support behind the scenes has made just as much of a difference. "The support and training has been fantastic. If we ever need anything, someone's always there to help, whether it's training staff, helping us fine-tune the coffee or answering questions."
The team also points to Roasting Warehouse's steady stream of new specialty drink ideas as a genuine asset. "The younger generation is always looking for something different, so it's nice having fresh ideas we can bring into the cafe."
"Choose People You Actually Enjoy Working With"
Asked to sum up why they'd recommend Roasting Warehouse to another café owner, the answer was simple and heartfelt:
"Changing coffee suppliers after 30 years felt pretty daunting, but Roasting Warehouse made it so easy. The coffee is great, it's consistent, the support is amazing and they genuinely care about the businesses they work with."
And their advice to other cafe owners weighing up a switch of their own?
"Don't just choose a supplier because of the coffee. Choose people you actually enjoy working with. Good coffee is important, but so is having a team behind you that answers the phone, supports you when you need it and genuinely wants to see your business succeed, and that's exactly what we've found with Roasting Warehouse!"
The Takeaway for Cafe Owners
Dairy Queen's story is proof that a coffee supplier switch, even after 30 years with the same one, doesn't have to be the upheaval it sounds like. With the right wholesale coffee partner, it can be the easiest big decision a cafe ever makes.
If you're a cafe owner who's outgrown your current supplier, or simply wants a coffee partner that treats your business like family, get in touch with the Roasting Warehouse team to see how we can help.
