McDonald’s will be making Krispy Kreme donuts available at all of its 13,500-plus locations in the US by the end of 2026. The rollout will start in the second half of this year, and it will take about 2.5 years for Krispy Kreme donuts to be added to McDonald’s nationwide menu. The move marks an exclusive partnership between the two companies in the US throughout the duration of the agreement. Customers will be able to order a variety of Krispy Kreme donuts including the original glazed, chocolate iced, and chocolate iced cream-filled donuts individually or in packs of six. The donuts will be available for purchase all day at McDonald’s locations.
To celebrate the partnership, Krispy Kreme announced that it will be giving a free original glazed donut to all guests who visit its US-based bakeries between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on a specified date. To ensure that Krispy Kreme donuts will be stocked at McDonald’s locations, the bakery will utilize a “hub and spoke” model, similar to what they use to deliver products to third-party stores. Krispy Kreme’s production hubs, which are either stores or donut factories, will send freshly made donuts every day to retail locations. This structure will help them meet the demands of over 6,000 McDonald’s restaurants with their existing infrastructure.
McDonald’s has an additional 7,500 restaurants in addition to the new locations they plan to open by 2027. Krispy Kreme is primarily increasing its production capacity for the McDonald’s partnership, but sees this as a major opportunity to expand its reach. By working with national suppliers like grocery and convenience stores, Krispy Kreme’s distribution network efficiency and productivity will significantly improve over time. The partnership with McDonald’s will also reduce waste as Krispy Kreme locations often make more treats than they can sell in a given day.
Both McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme view this partnership as a way to unlock growth opportunities for McDonald’s restaurants across the country, particularly in the breakfast daypart. The relationship between Krispy Kreme and McDonald’s began in late 2022 when the fast-food chain sold the brand’s donuts at nine locations in Kentucky. The successful pilot resulted in McDonald’s adding Krispy Kreme donuts to an additional 146 restaurants across the states of Kentucky and Indiana. Demand from McDonald’s customers during the tests exceeded both companies’ expectations, leading to the decision to expand the offering nationwide.
Overall, the partnership between McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme is set to bring donuts to over 13,500 McDonald’s locations across the US by the end of 2026. This exclusive partnership will offer customers a variety of Krispy Kreme donuts to enjoy all day at McDonald’s locations. To meet this demand, Krispy Kreme will be using its existing infrastructure and “hub and spoke” model to supply thousands of McDonald’s restaurants with freshly made donuts. The partnership is seen as a significant opportunity for Krispy Kreme to expand its reach and efficiency while also reducing waste. Both companies are optimistic about the growth opportunities that this partnership will unlock for McDonald’s restaurants across the country.
