McDonald’s set to sell major doughnuts brand in all US stores

McDonald’s customers will soon be able to order world famous doughnuts along with their McCafé drink or Big Mac and fries.

The fast food restaurant chain has announced it will sell Krispy Kreme doughnuts at all of its US locations by the end of 2026. Three flavors will be offered – Original Glazed, Chocolate Iced Glazed with Sprinkles, and Chocolate Iced Kreme-Filled.

Customers will be able to buy the doughnuts individually or in a six-pack, Krispy Kreme announced of the partnership on Tuesday. They will be available from the morning until they sell out.

‘This partnership will unlock incremental growth opportunities for McDonald’s restaurants across the country – particularly in the breakfast daypart (because who doesn’t love a fresh doughnut with their McCafé in the morning?) but also throughout the day,’ a McDonald’s spokesperson told the New York Post.

There are far less Krispy Kreme locations compared to the nearly 13,500 McDonald’s restaurants nationwide as of 2022.

The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company plans to employ its ‘hub and spoke’ method to deliver its products to McDonald’s locations, just as it currently does to 6,800 third-party stores. Grocery stores including Walmart have been selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts for years.

‘By making Kreme Krispy (sic) accessible to fans nationwide through this partnership, we expect to more than double our points of access by the end of 2026,’ stated Krispy Kreme President and CEO Josh Charlesworth.

The doughnuts are already being sold in a couple of states including Kentucky, where they were delivered to 160 McDonald’s locations as a test. That expanded to Indiana, and the rollout to the rest of the states will be phased starting this year.

Krispy Kreme shares hiked up more than 39% on Tuesday following the partnership announcement.

Shares for McDonald’s – which has ambitious expansion plans and and vowed to lower prices amid outrage over the cost of some items – remained flat.

While the partnership is aimed at expanded business for both companies, some experts said it could instead weaken them.

‘How will it impact an existing point of access which is located down the street from a McDonald’s?’ Truist analysts said of Krispy Kreme.

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