david dupree
Associated Press
The holidays are a time when many of us indulge in some extra treats. Some make homemade cookies and decorate gingerbread houses, while others look forward to trying the various seasonal treats that many popular fast food chains offer each December.
This year brings back popular favorites like the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha and McDonald’s Custard and Sprinkles Holiday Pie, as well as new offerings like the Dunkin Donuts Cookie Butter Donut. Wendy’s also offers vanilla frosting in November and December in a holiday-themed mint flavor.
The holidays are also a time when fast-food chains launch more promotions and contests than usual—like the dishes themselves, many of the seasonal promotions return year after year.
How do I get those free holiday treats?
Wendy’s will give away a free Frosty every Friday through the end of 2022 for customers who spend $15 through the ordering platform Doordash.
Those who spend more than $12 on Grubhub Dec. 6-12 can score Wendy’s new Italian mozzarella cheeseburger or one of the Italian mozzarella chicken sandwiches, and those who spend Dec. 16-18 through Uber Eats People who buy the starter bacon cheeseburger will get a second added to their order for free.
A longer promotion will also go to those who buy the Frosty key token Now through Jan. 29, for just $2 (a keychain depicting the chain’s classic treat), get a free Frosty with every purchase through 2023. In theory, if you order other items at Wendy’s, you can get one every day.
A week ago, McDonald’s also launched a “Shared SZN” festive promotion. Those who place orders online and through the app can get free food and exclusive apparel featuring McDonald’s characters from the chain’s history, as well as a chance to win one of three McGold cards twice a week for free McDonald’s food for the next 50 years .
Restaurant Brands International’s Burger King is also kicking off its seasonal 12 Days of Deals promotion — daily deals include a free croissant with $1 or more on Dec. 8, and 3 for Dec. 7-14. Dollar Whoppers or Impossible Whoppers.
The promotion comes on the heels of the chain celebrating Whopper’s 65th anniversary in November with an “airdrop” of 65,000 free Whopper app codes in New York’s Times Square and Meta Meta TICKER’s Instagram.
Holidays are a major marketing area for the industry
While many movies portray the melancholy of eating fast food alone during the holidays, the season as a whole is a major marketing area for the chain. Many stores are the only ones open on Thanksgiving and Christmas in a given town, and seasonal offers help create a sense of nostalgia and an on-the-go feel for yearly limited-time offerings.
Some come back for a throwback to the classics, while others are drawn to new cuisines they’ve never seen before.
For many, the holidays have become synonymous with certain festive foods, such as plain candy canes and family turkey or ham dinners.
A recent Bluedot survey study further found that 43 percent of people choose fast food when shopping for holiday gifts in person, compared to 35 percent who choose fast food and 28 percent who choose sit-down meals.
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This story was originally published on December 6, 2022 at 12:52 pm.
