McDonald’s to sell fresh doughnuts — from Krispy Kreme

McDonald’s is going national with its partnership with Krispy Kreme.

The quick-service giant will start selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts at its restaurants during the second half of this year as part of a phased market rollout across the country. It’s expected that the rollout will be complete by the end of 2026.

Under the agreement, three of Krispy Kreme’s most popular doughnuts — including its signature original glazed — will be delivered fresh to McDonald’s restaurants every day. The items will be available individually, or in boxes of six, starting at breakfast and lasting throughout the day — or while supplies last.

The rollout follows a successful test at 160 McDonald’s restaurants in the Lexington and Louisville areas of Kentucky, where consumer demand exceeded expectations, according to McDonald’s. The pilot restaurants will continue to serve Krispy Kreme doughnuts during the nationwide rollout.

“Since the launch of breakfast nearly 50 years ago, we’ve continued to offer new menu items, flavors and experiences that have made McDonald’s an irreplaceable part of fans’ morning routines,” said Tariq Hassan, McDonald’s USA’s chief marketing and customer experience officer. “This partnership is an exciting next step in that journey and a chance to unlock new business opportunities in the breakfast category and throughout the day.”

Added Krispy Kreme president and CEO Josh Charlesworth: “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.”

Though the McDonald’s rollout, Kreme Krispy expects to more than double its points of access, or reach, by the end of 2026. The company delivers its doughnuts to some 6,800 third-party stores. McDonald’s has approximately 13,500 locations in the U.S.

“The partnership accelerates the development of our existing Delivered Fresh Daily channel, creating operating leverage through distribution density and production utilization,” said Charlesworth.