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Häagen-Dazs Vs. Dairy Queen in Xiamen

Updated: 08 Dec 2009
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Dairy Queen and Häagen-Dazs in Xiamen
 
I Scream You Scream We All Scream for Ice Cream! In December?? 
 
Why not? I'm from Minnesota, and this is still ice cream weather to me. But where to go when I'm feeling homesick? Sure, there are plenty of local western restaurants that are now making excellent homemade ice cream, (I'll cover those in the future) but what if I'm craving something that brings me back home and even my youth? Well even if you're not American, you should check out Xiamen's newest American ice cream shops, Häagen-Dazs  and Dairy Queen. But is one better than the other you may ask? Actually, the two are as different as a BMW and VW Santana. One cost more, and is oh so good. While the other is cheaper, but still does the job. 
 
While you can get Häagen-Dazs in stores like Metro or the Coffee Club, there is only one place to experience all 20 flavors in true Häagen-Dazs fashion. Where is that? Why at the Häagen-Dazs store located at the Crowne Plaza right next to Papa Johns, 1 block from the Mingfa shopping center. But let's look back on the history of Häagen-Dazs first.  
 
Some people think Häagen-Dazs started in Europe, heck even I did in the past. However, the origins are very American. Häagen-Dazs was started by husband and wife Reuben and Rose Mattus in the Bronx, New York, in 1961. The name Häagen-Dazs has no meaning and was just two made up words by Reuben Mattus to give the ice cream a foreign sounding name. It wasn't until 1976 though, that Mr. Mattus' daughter Doris opened up the first Häagen-Dazs ice cream shop. Until then it was only sold in stores. In 1983 Mr. Mattus sold Häagen-Dazs to Minnesota company Pillsbury, which was eventually acquired by Minnesota company General Mills, who still owns Häagen-Dazs to this day and has aggressively expanded and franchised Häagen-Dazs shops and now is available in 50 countries.
 
The first Häagen-Dazs cafe in China opened in Shanghai in 1996. Unlike in America (as far as I know, it's been 2 years) Häagen-Dazs Cafes are full service with wait staff and chairs, tables, and even comfy couches. Go to the Xiamen cafe, and upon being shown to your table, you will be handed a thick and heavy, full color menu. In China, the Häagen-Dazs Cafe is not just about eating ice cream, it's an experience, and a place to impress someone. However, none of this comes without a price. Just as in the grocery stores of China, Häagen-Dazs Cafe ice cream prices are much higher than the Häagen-Dazs ice cream stores back in America. Why? Well an article in the Boston Globe summed it up best with a quote from Eddie Lu, marketing manger with Häagen-Dazs in Shanghai. "In China Haagen-Dazs has sidestepped its US image of being a premium supermarket brand to position itself as the deliverer of a uniquely luxurious culinary experience" So while ingredients may make up some of the costs, Häagen-Dazs is expensive because it can be. 
 
So what does it cost in the Xiamen cafe? You can choose from 20 different flavors and a single scoop costs 28 Yuan, double 53, and triple 78. (Add 2 Yuan if you want a cone and not a cup) However, these are smaller scoops than you would get in America. While I was eating the "oh so good" coconut ice cream, I had to go slow or it would have been gone in less than 2 minutes.
 
There's much more than just scoops though, there are "creations"! A banana split is a mind-blowing 79 Yuan! But you've got to see it to believe it. Words can't describe it. There are many other over the top ice cream creations, all shown in photos in the menu.
 
Besides ice cream though, there are cakes, tiramisu, and other baked goods. So if you want to "experience" ice cream in China and want to impress a date or loved one, Xiamen Häagen-Dazs Cafe is the place to go. There is outdoor and indoor seating and the whole look resembles a French sidewalk cafe, if not a little over the top.
 
The cafe is open 7 days a week, 10am till 11pm. Located at the Crowne Plaza right next to Papa Johns, 1 block from the Mingfa shopping center. The address is: G-12B, GF, Paragon Centre, No. 197, Jiahe Road, telephone 5127977. 
 
So that's the high end. While Dairy Queen isn't exactly the low end, it's still not cheap. There are 2 Dairy Queens, or DQ as it's most commonly called, in Xiamen with a third being built in the new Tesco shopping mall across from the railway station.
 
So how is DQ ice cream different from Häagen-Dazs? Well, first is it's not really ice cream, it's ice milk. The soft serve formula was first developed in 1938 by John Fremont McCullough and his son Bradley. They went on to open the first Dairy Queen store in 1940 in Joliet Illinois. Unlike ice cream, it contains less than 5% butterfat, and is made with low fat milk, meaning it's healthier than ice cream, but still filled with sugar and is high in calories.
 
There is only one "real" flavor, vanilla, though it can be mixed with many different fruits and syrups to create a wide range of different flavors. DQ is famous for two items. It's original soft serve covered in chocolate that immediately hardens to create a crunchy chocolate shell. The other item is the Blizzard Treat. Created in 1985, it is soft-serve mechanically blended with add-in ingredients such as sundae toppings and/or pieces of cookies, brownies, or candy.  
 
Now DQ has over 6,000 stores in 22 countries, though about 85% of those are in America. Just like Häagen-Dazs, DQ is based in Minnesota. (Is there a trend here?) 
 
The first DQ in China opened in Beijing in 1992, though it was not until 2005 that a large expansion began. The 200th DQ in China recently opened in Xian with a plan to open 500 more over the next 5 years.
 
So what can you enjoy at the Xiamen DQ? Since the ice cream comes out of a machine, (like at Mcdonalds) there are no scoops. You can get a small cone for 5 Yuan or a large for 7. Both are bigger than the sizes at KFC or Mcdonalds and tastes much better. For an extra 1 Yuan, you can add the chocolate topping. Then there is the Blizzard. They come in three sizes. The small is about 7 oz. and costs 17 Yuan, medium is about 10 oz. and is 20, and the large is about 12 oz. and is 24. There are many flavors you can add and mix and match. The Blizzard is also served to you upside down to show how thick it is. There also also shakes, malts, banana splits, and many other ice cream treats. They even have a juice drink mixed with orange juice and a "secret" mix called an Orange Julius. There are also fruit smoothies. I have not been to the Gulang Yu location, but the RT Mart location has indoor seating.
 
The addresses are: Gulang Yu at B1, San You Vacation Tourism City, No. 8, Longtou Road. Telephone 2513927.
 
The second location is in the underground mall across from the RT Mart within the Art and Science museum buildings square, at B1 F, RT-MART, No. 95 Tiyu Road. Telephone 3110592.
 
They are open from Monday-Thursday from 9am till 9pm and Friday-Sunday 10am till 11pm. So who's better? 
 
Well, back to the BMW vs. Santana comparison. Clearly without a doubt, Häagen-Dazs. However, can you afford Häagen-Dazs or is it just for a special treat? Myself, I've had Häagen-Dazs once in the last 6 months. But I've had 3 Blizzards in the last 2 months and they are much more filling if not as enjoyable as Häagen-Dazs. Lastly, some of you might be asking what about Mcdonalds, Burger King, and  KFC? Sorry, I don't drive a QQ. 
 
SOURCE: By Jay, American food critic in Xiamen

 

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