Find This Once-Popular Drink Chain Quietly Thriving Through A Fast Food Giant

If you love orange juice, you're not alone. It's commonly consumed at breakfast, though it's also found a home in drinks such as tequila cocktails. If you recall, there was once a popular chain called Orange Julius, often with locations in mall food courts, that all started with one man who loved orange juice. Today, Orange Julius still exists, though it's operating out of Dairy Queen rather than its own independent locations after being purchased by Dairy Queen in 1987.

Orange Julius got its start back in 1926, when a man named Julius Freed realized his love for orange juice and opened an orange juice stand. Freed had a friend, Bill Hamlin, who couldn't digest the acidic orange juice easily. He started experimenting with added ingredients, such as egg whites, sugar, and salt, that would make it less acidic, frothier, and more enjoyable. Ultimately, when Hamlin introduced the drink to Freed, Freed decided to sell it at his orange juice stand. Thus, the classic Orange Julius was born.

Once Julius Freed began selling Bill Hamlin's drink at a single orange stand in California, word spread about how tasty the drink was, and customers came flocking. The stand was bringing in nearly $120 per day in sales, which was no small feat for the 1920s. In a matter of weeks, Freed, Hamlin, and a contractor, William Larkin, formed a company and expansion of Orange Julius stands began. Hamlin would eventually buy Freed out and continue the expansion with Larkin.

Hot dogs and burgers were added to the menu between 1949 and 1955, offering consumers a snack with which to enjoy their orange drink. But the drink itself remained the star of the show. By 1967 — the year Hamlin retired — Orange Julius had roughly 700 locations all over the country and internationally in places such as Canada, Japan, and Singapore. When Hamlin retired, the brand was sold to International Industries Inc. Hamlin died in 1987. That same year, the brand was sold to Dairy Queen.

Dairy Queen wanted a permanent sip of Orange Julius and bought the entire company in 1987, giving it the full rights to sell the Orange Julius drink. So, of course, Dairy Queen started selling Orange Julius at its locations, which explains why the two are often paired up. But there is one caveat: It's not available at all Dairy Queen locations.

Fans of Orange Julius have realized that you can't just stop into a Dairy Queen and find the orange drink. When customers took to Reddit to talk about the lack of OJ locations, rumors suggested that Dairy Queen pulled Orange Julius from locations where it didn't sell well. It's unclear if that's the true reason, though Dairy Queen has discontinued quite a few items through the years. However, it's still available in a number of mall food courts, and those looking to find the bright orange drink can go to the Orange Julius website and look up locations where it's sold.