Wendy’s Is Selling Unlimited $1 Frosty Treats. Here’s Why

Wendy’s has announced that it will be selling unlimited $1 Frosty treats for the rest of the summer. The announcement comes after the fast-food giant missed the mark on its Q2 earnings. Let’s take a look at what we know about this latest promotion.

Wendy’s $1 Frosty Treats

In an official press release, it was revealed that Wendy’s will be offering a special promotion for its customers.

“As summer ends, Wendy’s is giving fans a celebratory treat that can’t be beat,” the company said in the announcement. “Fans can choose between the Classic Chocolate Frosty or savor the final days of the seasonally inspired Triple Berry Frosty while supplies last — which combines three of the freshest fruit flavors of the season — strawberry, blackberry and raspberry — into one summer treat.”

From now until Sept. 15, Wendy’s $1 small Frosty treats will be available at participating Wendy’s restaurants nationwide. Whether fans like to scoop it, dip it, or drink it, the Frosty continues to be the most popular beverage at the fast-food giant.

To get more mouthwatering offers, download the app and begin accruing Rewards points. Get 10 points for every $1 spent, which you can exchange for free items. Additionally, to maximize the value of a Wendy’s visit, customers can “stack” qualifying rewards and deals.

This announcement comes just one day after the company fell short on its Q2 earnings and announced that it was betting on breakfast (a consistently high performer) to make up for the shortfall. Presumably, this latest Frosty promotion will serve the same purpose.

Wendy’s has also announced the $1 Honey Buddies (formerly the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit), which will also be available until Sept. 30. As with the Frosty, this too is hoped to make up for the shortfall announced in the Q2 earnings call.

Q2 Earnings Slump

Wendy’s hopes that its breakfast strategy can turn the proverbial ship around after its Q2 earnings fell short of forecasts. Despite performing poorly overall, the fast-food business outperformed in the breakfast segment, according to Quartz‘s analysis of the Q2 numbers.

“Breakfast remains an incredibly important daypart,” said Kirk Tanner, CEO of Wendy’s, during the earnings call. “It is highly profitable, and we have not yet reached our potential.”

In the second quarter, the company made around $570 million in revenue, or about 27 cents per share. This is a little less than experts’ projected $577 million, or 28 cents per share.

Wendy’s currently has more than 7,000 locations, and this year alone, it has opened 99 more. It plans to have constructed and opened 250–300 new outlets by the end of 2024.

As consumers look for deals, Wendy’s is proving that its value meals are giving the restaurant a competitive edge. The $3 breakfast bundle was first offered by the eatery in May, then a month later, the $5 Biggie Bag was once again offered. The 4 for $4 dinner deal is also still available from the restaurant.

However, breakfast seems to be popular, as Tanner noted, “We continue to outperform competitors by driving breakfast dollar growth ahead of the category in the second quarter.” He added, “We continue to expect that breakfast sales growth will outpace the rest of the day at Wendy’s.”

The chain claims that to extend its present “breakfast advertising investment horizon beyond 2025,” its 2024 investment level has been reduced. In part because of its high market optimism, the company plans to invest over $25 million in breakfast during that time.