Wendy's menu adds new takes on beloved classic

In the fast-food space, McDonald's has two areas where it has proven unassailable. The fast-food giant has a lot of advantages over its chief rivals, Wendy's and Burger King, but it's been the clear market leader in the case of two particular food categories.

Burgers are not one of them. The Big Mac certainly has some cache, but Burger King's Whopper might be even more famous, and Wendy's (WEN) Baconator is arguably a better product. A lot of that comes down to personal taste, but fast-food hamburgers are somewhat interchangeable.

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You cannot say that when it comes to fast-food french fries. McDonald’s is the unquestioned leader, and though both Burger King and Wendy’s have improved their fries over the years, it’s very hard to argue that either has a better product.

Yes, the Baconator Fries at Wendy’s are delicious, but I imagine McDonald’s fries with bacon and cheese would be even better.

The other area where McDonald’s has dominated is dessert. The chain’s simple sundaes have been a long-established leader, and that lead was built upon with the McFlurry.

Now, Wendy’s may finally have an answer that truly puts it in the dessert game.

Wendy’s adds a new type of Frosty

The Frosty may be iconic, but it's also polarizing. It's not exactly a shake, and it's not fully an ice cream. That's part of its charm, but it has also made it more of a novelty than anything else.

Wendy's latest move, however, will put the Frosty clearly in the dessert category. It's a move that has been a long time coming.

"Are you ready for SIX new Frosty options from Wendy's?! They are coming soon and I cannot wait! These new Frosty Swirls were recently announced by Wendy's and have been tested at a few locations around their HQ with six different options," shared the popular Snackolator Instagram page. 

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These Frosty variations have been offered elsewhere in the world and are finally coming to the U.S.

"You start with either a vanilla or chocolate Frosty with one of three new swirls (similar to the Thin Mints swirl currently available): Caramel, Strawberry, and Brownie Batter. And the best part is that these are headed for a nationwide release this month — no joke!" he wrote. "I used to beg Wendy's to bring the swirls here like in other countries, so this is a very welcome development."

Wendy's bets big on innovation

Wendy's sits in the middle of the fast-food pack when it comes to menu innovation. It's not like Taco Bell offering seemingly dozens of new items each quarter, but it's also not Chipotle, which might release one new protein a quarter.

The fast-food chain usually has a couple of new items each month, and CEO Kirk Tanner called out two of them during Wendy's fourth-quarter earnings call.

"Growth in the quarter was also supported by innovative limited-time offerings, including our Salted Carmel Frosty and Mushroom Bacon Cheeseburger," he said.

He also noted that the chain's commitment to new products helped a key daypart.

"For the full year, our breakfast sales grew over 6%, which outpaced the QSR burger category. This was driven by increased awareness and impactful innovation," Tanner shared.

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Innovation did not stop in the morning.

"Our innovation extended beyond the breakfast daypart with a series of new menu items, including our Saucy Nuggs that expanded our chicken offerings. We also featured new limited-time Frosty flavors tailored to each season to provide fresh, exciting experiences that resonated with our customers throughout the year. We invested in our mobile app to improve the customer experience and accelerate growth in our loyalty program," he added.