The holidays are a time when many of us indulge in a few extra treats. Some make homemade cookies and decorate gingerbread houses, while others look forward to trying the various seasonal treats that many popular fast-food chains bring out once a year in December.
This year brought with it returning favorites like the Starbucks (SBUX) Peppermint Mocha and McDonald's (MCD) custard-and-sprinkles holiday pie as well as new offerings like Dunkin's Cookie Butter Donut. Wendy's (WEN) also pulled its vanilla Frosty to offer a holiday-themed peppermint version throughout November and December.
The holidays are also a time when fast-food chains launch more promotions and contests than usual -- just like the dishes themselves, many seasonal promotions also come back year after year.
How Do I Get Those Free Holiday Treats?
Until the end of 2022, Wendy's will be offering customers a free Frosty every Friday when they spend $15 through the ordering platform Doordash (DASH).
Those who spend more than $12 through Grubhub Dec. 6-12 can get one of Wendy's new Italian Mozzarella Cheeseburger or Italian Mozzarella Chicken Sandwich while those who buy a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger through Uber Eats (UBER) Dec. 16-18 will get a second one added to their order for free.
A longer promotion will also give those who buy a Frosty key tag (a keychain depicting the chain's classic treat) for $2 between now and Jan. 29 will get a free Frosty with every purchase made throughout 2023. Theoretically, one could claim one every day if ordering other things at a Wendy's
A week earlier, McDonald's also launched its "SZN of Sharing" holiday promotion. Those who place their order online and through the app get free food and exclusive clothing with McDonald's characters from the chain's history as well as be entered to win one of three McGold cards for free McDonald's food twice a week over the next 50 years.
Restaurant Brands International (QSR)'s Burger King has also begun its seasonal 12 Days of Deals promotion -- daily deals include a Free Single Croissan'wich with a minimum $1 purchase on Dec. 8 and Whoppers or Impossible Whoppers for $3 on Dec. 7 and 14.
The promotion follows one in which the chain celebrated the 65th anniversary of the Whopper by "airdropping" 65,000 free Whopper app codes in New York's Times Square and on Meta Meta TICKER's Instagram in November.
The Holidays Are Prime Marketing Territory For The Industry
While many films have portrayed the melancholy of eating fast food alone during the holidays, the overall season is prime marketing territory for the chains. Many are the only ones in a given town that are open on Thanksgiving and Christmas, while seasonal offers help create that nostalgia and gotta-have-it-now feeling for items that are only available for a limited time each year.
Some come back for returning classics while others are tempted by new treats that they hadn't seen before.
For many, the holidays have become as synonymous with certain holiday foods as regular candy canes and the family turkey or ham dinner.
A recent Bluedot survey study further found that 43% of people who grab a bite while shopping for their holiday gifts in person opt for fast food compared to 35% for fast casual and 28% for sit-down restaurants.
