The Ferrum Dairy Queen, located about two minutes from campus, is now offering a 10 percent discount for Ferrum College students.

All students must do is present their Ferrum College I.D. and scan the barcode in the official Dairy Queen app.

The discount applies to all regular menu items including Blizzard treats, soft serve cones, speciality drinks, and hot food items like burgers and hot dogs. Store management says that the discount is meant to support local students and strengthen ties between the business and campus community.

“A majority of our customers come from the college, so I think this discount is a nice thing for the students to be able to have,” said general manager Jessica Rutrough. “A lot of the sports teams will come in for ice cream at night, and the discount can chop a dollar or two off of their orders.”

The discount has already caught the attention of students, many of whom see it as a small but meaningful break in their budgets. Other students however, think that the offer isn’t enough.

Sophomore Tyjee Covington is a regular customer at the Dairy Queen.

“Dairy Queen here is really expensive, so it’s like 10 percent ain’t doing nothing for real,” he said. “I think they should lower the prices. What I get is $7, so I can make that work, but it’s still expensive.”

In contrast, first-year Ellajane Smithers thinks the discount is more than worthwhile.

“Ten percent might not sound like a lot, but it really does add up,” she said. “It’s cool that they would recognize us as financially struggling college students and offer some discount even if it’s not huge.”

The discount is available during all regular business hours and has no announced end date, though Rutrough suggests it may be evaluated based on student participation.

As mid-terms come up and stress levels rise, the local Dairy Queen hopes the deal will give students one more reason to take a break, grab a treat with some friends, and enjoy a perk of Ferrum College life.