The Wendy's FROSTY (TM) is one of the signature items at this popular fast-food restaurant chain. It can be described as either a very thick milk shake or as a type of soft-serve ice cream.

Wendy's is now owned by the "Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc.", a publicly-owned corporation that bills itself as the 3rd-largest "quick-service" restaurant company. Its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker abbreviation "WEN".http://ir.wendysarbys.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=67548&p=irol-stockquote

Whether you describe it as a thick milk shake or soft-serv ice cream, the Orignial Chocolate Frosty was one of Wendy's original menu items when the chain began in 1969 in Ohio.http://wendys.com/about_us/story.jsp

Since then, Wendy's has started serving Frosty's in other flavors and "twists". You can get a Vanilla Frosty, added in August 2006. You can ask your Wendy's counter staff to make you a Frosty Float, adding soda to your Vanilla or Chocolate Frosty. Frosty Floats were added to the menu in May 2007. In May 2008, Wendy's added Frosty Shakes: "Chocolate Fudge", "Vanilla Bean", just plain "Strawberry", and a coffee-flavored one named "Frosty-cino" (added later). Finally, in the footsteps of the popular Dairy Queen "Blizzards", in March 2009, Wendy's began offering "Twisted Frosty's"; in addition to the Oreo, the M&M, and the Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough, Wendy's added the well-marketed and fun-to-say "Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty." http://wendys.com/food/Family.jsp?family=10http://wendys.com/about_us/story.jsp (Who knows what new Frosty variation will be rolled out in 2010? Well, the Wendy's marketing people might, but not the rest of us.)

An (approximately) 8 ounce small Original Chocolate Frosty will provide you with 1/3 (35%, to be exact) of all the calcium recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, it also contains 320 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 35 mgs. of cholesterol. A 10 1/3 ounce Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty will cost you 540 calories, 20 grams of fat and 45 mgs. of cholesterol. http://wendys.com/food/Nutrition.jsp

For Facebook users who want to become friends with - or fans of - "Frosty", Wendy's has set up a special page. Here, you can write on Frosty's wall as he/she dithers on whether to "hang out" with French Fries or Chicken Nuggets. http://www.facebook.com/Frosty