We've all been there: Craving a McDonald's McFlurry, we finally hit the drive-thru — only to crushingly discover the ice cream machine is broken.
It's such a commonly shared experience that there's even an independent website where you can track which restaurants are out of commission for your sweet tooth. Pettily named McBroken.com, the site has a map showing if locations have a working, broken or inconclusive ice cream machine. And now there's another plot point on its map: wherever there's a Wendy's.
In a secondary petty jab at the Golden Arches, Wendy's is teaming up with McBroken.com to ensure those who are let down by McDonald's broken ice cream machines know there's another fast food option with a reliable, more affordable option for dessert, that being a Frosty. And from now until Sept. 30, it's making the offering even sweeter at a cost of only $1 nationwide.
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"For nearly 55 years, Wendy's iconic Frosty has been the go-to sweet treat fix when fans' cravings strike, while the ice cream machines at the other guys are offline, often for two to three hours at a time," Wendy's said in announcing the partnership. "Wendy's fans can count on the Frosty when they need it most, available in Classic Chocolate Frosty and Vanilla Frosty – back for a limited time!"
In addition to finding that the average downtime for a McDonald's ice cream machine is two to three hours, Wendy's noted that McBroken's data shows anyone who gets a sweet treat craving around lunchtime will be keen to cash in on its Frosty deal, as machines at its competitor are most often unavailable "really anytime" between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., it said in the announcement.
It also noted that those who most need a "Frosty Fix" live in Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, New York and Los Angeles, as McBroken.com data showed the five cities had the most frequent McDonald's ice cream machine breakdowns. As of Thursday afternoon, nearly 15% of the restaurant's machines were broken, according to the website, with 32% of those being in New York.
Though the announcement didn't name McDonald's directly, instead calling its nemesis "the other guys" multiple times, it's clear through its chosen partner in McBroken.com that that's the rival the chain has decided to face up against.
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McDonald's and Wendy's rivalry has gone on for years, from the everlasting burger wars to their Twitter beef about frozen meat. But although many in the public eye have deemed Wendy's a more clever opponent, McDonald's remains the No. 1 quick-service restaurant chain in the nation, while Wendy's is No. 5, according to a recent report by QSR Magazine.
One move that's helped McDonald's maintain its standing is its $5 value meal, its offering in the current so-called "value wars" that has chains creating deals to lure back inflation-weary customers.
Wendy's has been leaning on its Frosty deals as part of its entry into the value wars. From Aug. 5 until Sept. 15, it offered the treat for $1 alongside data on how its customers eat them, like with a fry or a spoon. Other deals the chain has launched in recent months include a $5 Biggie Bag, a $3 breakfast combo and a discounted Honey Buddy.
