DES MOINES, Iowa – A longtime Iowa State Fair favorite is celebrating a major milestone. The Hot Beef Sundae turns 20 this year as the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters welcomes fairgoers with new menu items, beef tallow cooking and more ways to enjoy beef at the 2026 Iowa State Fair.
First introduced at the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters in 2006, the Hot Beef Sundae was an instant success. The original goal was to serve 4,000 during the Iowa State Fair, a mark reached within the first two days. More than 22,000 Hot Beef Sundaes were served that first year, and two decades later, the Hot Beef Sundae remains a staple at the Beef Quarters, with approximately 19,000 to 24,000 served each year.
Over the years, the Hot Beef Sundae has earned its place among the Iowa State Fair’s most celebrated foods, including being named the 2024 Best Choose Iowa Fair Food and receiving multiple Queen’s Choice Awards.
The Hot Beef Sundae has also become part of Iowa celebrations beyond the fairgrounds, making appearances at graduation parties, family gatherings and other events across the state. The dish features shredded beef and gravy served over a warm bed of mashed potatoes, sprinkled with shredded cheddar cheese and topped with a cherry tomato.
“It is the epitome of comfort food,” said Kylie Peterson, director of marketing and communications for the Iowa Beef Industry Council. “Twenty years later, the Hot Beef Sundae has become a tradition that people look forward to at the Iowa State Fair and a dish that has found its way into celebrations across Iowa.”
This year, fairgoers can join in the celebration with a commemorative 20th Anniversary Hot Beef Sundae T-shirt. Each shirt purchase includes a coupon for one free Hot Beef Sundae at the Iowa State Fair. To redeem the coupon, fairgoers must wear the anniversary shirt and present the coupon during the fair, August 13-23, 2026. The limited-edition shirt offers longtime fans and first-time fairgoers a fun way to celebrate one of the fair’s most beloved food traditions.
