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Fast food giants McDonald's, Wendy's brawl over cheap frozen treats

Big chains are constantly fighting to come out ahead. Now they want customers to beat the heat with cheap frozen treats.
/ Source: TODAY

As fast food giants keep fighting to come out ahead, they're often trying to top each other with special deals or promotions. Whether it’s loaded fries or expanding breakfast menus, it’s all about the bottom line: Bring in customers and keep 'em coming.

The latest frontier? As the weather heats up, some chains are offering cheap treats to help customers cool down this summer.

McDonald’s has just announced its new Golden Arches Cone — an exclusive, limited-edition cone that will allow one lucky, randomly selected fan to score free McDonald’s soft serve for life.

If you want to throw your hat (or taste buds) into the ring, the cone will be revealed in-restaurant Sunday, July 16 in celebration of National Ice Cream Day. But in a way, everyone is a winner because anyone who visits McDonald’s this Sunday can get a free vanilla cone all day (at participating restaurants).

To get your cone, just download the McDonald’s mobile app and a free vanilla cone offer to be redeemed in restaurant will pop-up. This spring, the chain announced that its new soft serve recipe is free of artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.

McDonald’s isn’t the only fast food restaurant trying to win over frozen-treat loving consumers. Last week, Wendy’s announced they would be selling their classic Frosty for just 50 cents — a 50 percent discount off the usual $1 price tag for a small — all summer long.

Of course, Wendy’s very active Twitter account couldn't help but have a little fun amid the promotion announcement when a deal-loving diner asked if he could score a free Frosty through retweets.

Still trying to get brain freeze? Today is 7/11, so you can score one free Slurpee today at 7-Eleven locations.