Next time you go into a McDonald’s, you might be asked, “Do you want doughnuts with that?”

Krispy Kreme announced a collaboration with McDonald’s that plans to have its doughnuts in locations nationwide, starting with a rollout in Chicago this fall.

Known for its “hot now” pastries, Krispy Kreme said it expects its products will go great with the McCafé product line, the company said in a news release earlier this year.

Three doughnut flavors will be delivered to the burger joints every day: Original Glazed, Iced with Sprinkles and Chocolate Iced Kreme Filled.

“They just need to be taken from the tray, put in the bag or even six-count and handed to the customer,” Krispy Kreme President and CEO Josh Charlesworth said, Nation’s Restauran News reported. “So, the real focus is just great doughnuts.”

By the end of the year, McDonald’s plans to have Krispy Kreme products in 1,000 locations and in 85% of their restaurants by the end of 2026, it said in the announcement.

“Our fans’ love for Krispy Kreme runs deep, and we can’t wait to make it even easier for them to satisfy their sweet tooth at McDonald’s restaurants across the country,” Tariq Hassan, McDonald’s USA’s chief marketing and customer experience officer, said in a statement.

Charlesworth added, “Partnering with McDonald’s on a national scale will provide our fans and doughnut lovers unprecedented daily access to fresh doughnuts and the joy that is Krispy Kreme.”

Krispy Kreme Expands into McDonald's

According to Verdict Food Service, Krispy Kreme is getting ready to introduce its doughnuts in McDonald’s restaurants throughout the United States, marking a major expansion of its operations. The launch will start in Chicago, Illinois, in the fall of 2024.

By the end of the year, there will be 1,000 McDonald’s locations with Krispy Kreme doughnuts, with 5,000 more by 2025 and 6,000 more by 2026, accounting for 85% of McDonald’s U.S. presence.

Preparation for Nationwide Rollout

Josh Charlesworth, the CEO of Krispy Kreme, said that the company is actively updating its doughnut production procedures. To guarantee a seamless rollout, a dedicated team is collaborating with customers, such as McDonald’s. The company is concentrating on modernizing its production lines, recruiting and educating manufacturing specialists, and consistently improving its manufacturing processes.

In order to strengthen production center efficiency and expand distribution capacities, Krispy Kreme is also optimizing its fleet and routing.

In the company’s second-quarter 2024 earnings call, Charlesworth said, “We have a dedicated cross-functional team there to make sure the facilities and our people are ready. In fact, we’re also making improvements to the production lines and even doing our best to improve productivity and up our game as we go.”

He continued, “We’re very focused on delivering a really high-quality service to the McDonald’s restaurants so that people get awesome fresh doughnuts every day at the same quality level they expect in Krispy Kreme and other channels.”

McDonald's Doughnut Partnership

The partnership between Krispy Kreme and McDonald’s was first announced in March 2024.

At McDonald’s restaurants across the country, fresh doughnuts will be served every day in a gradual rollout starting in late 2024 and are anticipated to be available nationally by the end of 2026. In the Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky, regions, 160 McDonald’s locations participated in a test run of this enlarged cooperation. Throughout the countrywide rollout, Krispy Kreme doughnuts will still be served at these same locations.

Donuts: A Match Made in Heaven

Three of the most well-liked doughnuts from Krispy Kreme will be freshly delivered to McDonald’s locations every day. They will be on sale for breakfast, all day long, either individually or in boxes of six. There is a catch, though. The doughnuts are only going to be available while they last.

The doughnuts that will be made available to all McDonald’s restaurants nationwide are the Original Glazed, Chocolate Iced with Sprinkles, and Chocolate Iced Kreme Filled.

McDonald’s USA’s chief marketing and customer experience officer, Tariq Hassan, stated at the time that the firm has consistently introduced new menu items, flavors, and experiences since the fast-food chain’s breakfast products were introduced 50 years ago. An “exciting next step in that journey and a chance to unlock new business opportunities in the breakfast category and throughout the day,” according to Hassan, is what McDonald’s collaboration with Krispy Kreme represents.

According to Hassan, the doughnut chain is adored by McDonald’s patrons, and the corporation is thrilled about the partnership at McDonald’s restaurants around the country. Krispy Kreme will have twice as many customer entry points in the U.S. because of this cooperation.

“The top request we receive from consumers, every day, is, ‘please bring Krispy Kreme to my town.’ Partnering with McDonald’s on a national scale will provide our fans and doughnut lovers unprecedented daily access to fresh doughnuts and the joy that is Krispy Kreme,” said Charlesworth.

A Sweet New Era

The partnership between Krispy Kreme and McDonald’s is a win-win for both companies. Krispy Kreme gets access to a wider audience, while McDonald’s gets a popular and well-loved product to add to its menu. The partnership also shows that McDonald’s is willing to innovate and try new things, which is sure to appeal to its customers.

This is a big move for both companies. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, and how customers react to the new menu addition. One thing is for sure: the partnership is sure to bring a lot of joy to doughnut lovers across the country.