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Wendy’s Vanilla Frosty Is Back & Only $1

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Wendy’s Vanilla Frosty flavor is finally back at all store locations. Even better, the fast food chain’s $1 Frosty deal has been extended. The campaign began on Aug. 5 and was originally set to end on Sept. 15, but a Wendy’s spokesperson confirmed over email with Spoon University that the deal has been extended until the end of the month. So Wendy’s fans, never fear! You can keep enjoying your $1 small Frosty through Sept. 30. 

How to get Wendy’s Vanilla Frosty for $1. 

“We are so back,” Wendy’s declared in an Instagram post.

Pick up your $1 Frosty at participating locations nationwide — no extra purchase is necessary. The treat has been a beloved part of Wendy’s menu since 2006, 37 years after the original Chocolate Frosty debuted in 1969. Almost two decades later the frozen vanilla treat is still a part of fan-favorite offers like the $1 Frosty deal. 

We all know Wendy’s for being a bit shady and unhinged (just look at the fast food brand’s social media, it won’t disappoint).

On Wednesday, Wendy’s announced it partnered with McBroken.com, a website that tracks when and where a McDonald’s ice cream machine is broken. Based on the findings, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, New York, and Los Angeles are the areas with the most broken McDonald’s ice cream machines. According to Wendy’s, the brand saw that dessert fans faced ice cream machine outages, and the fix should be a Frosty.

So, it doesn’t come as a surprise that this $1 deal might be some shade thrown at McDonald’s. The only catch? The Vanilla Frosty and the dollar deal are only available for a limited time — and fans don’t even know how limited the flavor is. With Wendy’s history of seasonal specials, a fall flavor isn’t out of the question to replace the Vanilla Frosty. 

What other flavors have replaced the Vanilla Frosty?

This year, the Vanilla Frosty flavor was first replaced by the Orange Dreamsicle flavor in the spring and then the Triple Berry flavor in the summer. Other flavors including pumpkin spice, peppermint, and strawberry have also been offered on the menu in the past and could even make a comeback in the future.

“We are constantly evaluating our consumer needs so never say never to an old Frosty flavor making its return,” the Wendy’s Frosty FAQs reads. 

Although the Chocolate Frosty consistently stays on the menu, the Vanilla Frosty is never truly gone. All Frosty flavors begin with that classic vanilla base and then custom syrup blends give the frozen treat its distinct flavors, according to the Frosty FAQ page. 

What else is going on at Wendy’s this month? 

The dollar Frosty isn’t the only bargain at the chain — Wendy’s National Cheeseburger Day celebration is also racking up the deals. From Sept. 18 until the 23, in-app customers can get a one-cent junior bacon cheeseburgers with any purchase. The deal can only be used once per customer. 

It’s hard to tell what future surprises are in store for Wendy’s fans.

“While we can’t share what is coming down the pipeline just yet,” the Frosty FAQs page reads, “keep an eye out as we are continuing to have fun with seasonally inspired flavors!”

Emma is member of the Spoon University National Writers Program. She enjoys writing about anything and everything from food trends on social media to the latest fast food drop. 

Outside of Spoon U, Emma is a senior Communication and Media Studies major at Pace University. There, she is the president of Her Campus at Pace and a writer for the school paper, the Pace Press. Emma is also an honors college student who will be completing her senior thesis in the coming year. She is graduating a year early in May of 2025. 

In her free time, Emma can frequently be found cafe-hopping around NYC on the hunt for the best oat milk cappuccino. She loves to try new ice cream places and is always happy to lay back, watch a movie, and eat some good Chinese food. Most of all, Emma loves a good charcuterie spread (because who doesn't), and her dream job would be professional cheese pairing.