The Vanilla Frosty Is Finally Coming Back To Wendy's

Virtually all fast-food chains offer desserts and sweet treats to complement the burgers, fries, and other hot items on the menu. Wendy's is no exception, as its iconic chocolate Frosty has been pleasing palates since the chain's inception (according to Reader's Digest). Co-founder Dave Thomas included the Frosty in the original 1969 menu, and the dessert was Thomas's attempt to mimic the ultra-thick milkshakes of his youth.

When it comes to the recipe that made this cold, creamy dessert such a massive hit with customers, you might be surprised to learn that it's actually a combination of chocolate and vanilla flavoring. Thomas added vanilla to the recipe to prevent the dessert from being overwhelmingly chocolatey, and it looks like the co-founder's inclination was a huge success. The chain serves approximately 300 million Frostys every year, much to the delight of fast-food enthusiasts. Even better, the restaurant has recently expanded its Frosty offerings to welcome back a beloved flavor.

The vanilla Frosty made its debut at Wendy's in 2006. The new flavor was added at the behest of vanilla-loving customers, who wanted a bit of dessert diversity when visiting the fast-food chain. Per CNN Business, Wendy's temporarily paused the vanilla Frosty in June 2022 in anticipation of a bold, new flavor: Strawberry. Strawberry was followed up by a peppermint-flavored Frosty in November 2022 as a way to herald the holidays.

Chew boom reports that the restaurant is reintroducing the vanilla Frosty to the menu, and, as it seems, it's back on the menu already. Vanilla lovers might want to run, not walk, to Wendy's for a taste of this missed fan favorite. Of course, we can only speculate that the return has also reignited the debate about which Frosty should reign supreme. Traditionalists claim that nothing can actually beat the cold, chocolatey flavor of the original. However, the vanilla Frosty has one (tiny) advantage over chocolate, no matter your taste preferences. When it comes to calories, the Frosty page lists chocolate as having 200 to 590 calories (depending on the size), while vanilla has 190 to 570 — an admittedly slight difference.