Wendy’s Is Releasing a Peppermint Frosty Just in Time for the Holidays

The term "iconic" gets tossed around a lot, but the Frosty truly is a Wendy's icon. The somewhere-between-a-milkshake-and-an-ice-cream treat has been on the burger chain's menu since the beginning in 1969, and Wendy’s has been pretty protective of it ever since. The typically chocolate-flavored item and fry-dipping medium didn't even get a vanilla spin-off until 2006. And this past summer, management went really bonkers, offering up a crazy new flavor: strawberry!

But it turns out we haven't seen the last of new Frosty flavors for 2022 — and perhaps more unexpectedly, the Frosty is going fully seasonal. Today, Wendy's has announced the forthcoming release of a new Peppermint Frosty.

Billed as "a merry take on the iconic treat," this Peppermint Frosty will hit Wendy's locations nationwide for a limited time starting on November 15. "Wendy's is helping to make the most wonderful time of the year even sweeter by introducing an all-new Peppermint Frosty to enjoy during the holidays," Carl Loredo, the company's U.S. chief marketing officer, stated. "From this summer's break-out hit, Strawberry Frosty, and now with our Peppermint Frosty, our fans can always count on Wendy’s to deliver […] iconic seasonal flavors.”

Wendy's vice president of culinary innovation John Li went a touch further in describing this "latest flavor innovation," adding, "It's the classic thick and creamy Frosty that our fans crave with bursts of fresh peppermint — every sweet bite will put you in the holiday spirit."

And what about Vanilla? The Frosty’s previous number two in command got the bump for Strawberry, and many probably expected Vanilla to return once Strawberry's summer run wrapped. Now, Peppermint will be filling in the second spot in the Frosty machines, but vanilla fans likely need not worry. According to The Fast Food Post, which claims to have reviewed some Wendy’s internal documents, Vanilla will return in early 2023 once Peppermint gets pulled post-holidays.

Finally, back to official news, Wendy's has one more Frosty-related winter announcement: The chain says that its Frosty Key Tags — which for a mere $2 allow holders to grab a free Jr. Frosty with any purchase once a day for a full year — will go on sale again from November 21 to January 29. Proceeds from the Frosty Key Tags — which can be bought at participating U.S. Wendy’s locations, via the mobile app, or in bulk on the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA) website — go to "support Wendy's commitment to finding safe, loving and permanent homes for children in foster care by partnering with the DTFA," according to the chain.