Wendy's WEN does not change its menu nearly as often as fast-food rivals like Burger King and Taco Bell. The company generally makes a big deal out of making a few additions each quarter some of which repeat yearly -- like the chain's summer Strawberry Salad -- and others that come and go less predictably.
While Yum Brands (YUM) Taco Bell seems to have a new offer every few weeks and Restuarant Brands International's (QSR) Burger has stepped up its limited-time offers (LTOs) in recent years, Wendy's takes a very measured approach.
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Wendy's falls somewhere in the middle on the fast-food innovation chain. The number two burger giant rolls out new ideas and brings back favorites like the Pretzel Pub Burger regularly but the company remains focused on its core menu.
In recent years, Wendy's (WEN) has also been experimenting with new flavors of its signature Frosty dessert. Not quite an ice cream, not quite a Shake, the Frosty was on the chain's menu in one flavor, chocolate, from 1969 through 2006 when a Vanilla Frosty was added.
The chain accomplished that by adding a second Frosty machine to its restaurants in order to allow two flavors, and only two, to be made at the same time. In the summer of 2022, Wendy's took vanilla off the menu, replacing it with strawberry. A peppermint version has also been offered in the U.S., but the chain remains constrained by its machinery.
Since people would be angry if the classic chocolate flavor came off the menu, Wendy's has to remove vanilla if it wants to add a new LTO flavor. That's very different from Taco Bell or Burger King adding a new product because that almost always means new toppings for a burger or chicken sandwich.
Now, a post from well-respected fast food Instagram, Snackolator, shows that Wendy's is getting ready to add another new Frosty flavor.
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Wendy's Adding a Fall-Favorite Frosty Flavor
When most people hear that Wendy's will have a new Frosty flavor for late summer/early fall, they likely immediately think "oh, no we're getting a Pumpkin Spice Frosty." And while a PSF would fit the theme seemingly every other chain uses for that time of year, that's not the direction Wendy's is going in.
"It appears that Wendy's is bringing the Caramel Apple Frosty to the U.S. this year after having it in Canada last year! This is an apple-flavored Frosty base with caramel swirled throughout and I cannot wait to give this a try," Snackolator reported. "An employee in the U.S. confirmed that restaurants are beginning to get the ingredients so this sounds like it might be a late summer/early fall release."
The arrival of a Caramel Apple Frosty would, of course, mean that the Vanilla Frosty would be off the menu again.
Wendy's Strategy Has Been Working
Wendy's has become the number two fast-food burger chain in the U.S., falling behind McDonald's but ahead of Burger King. The company's approach has clearly been working. CEO Todd Penegor shared some info on its growth in its home market during its first-quarter earnings call.
"Our U.S business delivered same-restaurant sales growth of 7.2%, holding our strong dollar and traffic share within the QSR burger category and widening our share gap to several competitors," he said.
Penegor credits several actions for that growth.
"These results were underpinned by the continued benefit of our strategic pricing actions alongside year-over-year customer count growth each month of the quarter. Our Q1 marketing programs make compelling value offerings like our successful two-for-six promotion with messaging behind our iconic fresh beef and hot and crispy french fries," he added.
