Breakfast at McDonald’s is about to get a lot sweeter.
On Monday, the fast food chain announced it will partner with Krispy Kreme, making three types of Krispy Kreme donuts available at select McDonald’s locations by the end of the year and nationwide by the end of 2026.
Customers will be able to enjoy the popular Original Frosted flavor, Iced Chocolate Sprinkles and Cream Filled flavors when the donuts officially launch.
Related: McDonald’s CEO says ‘affordability’ is on the way as company battles slumping sales
“By making Kreme Krispy accessible to fans nationwide through this partnership, we expect to more than double our access points by the end of 2026,” Josh Charlesworth, president and CEO of Krispy Kreme, said in a company release. “The partnership accelerates the development of our existing Delivered Fresh Daily channel, creating operational leverage through distribution density and manufacturing utilization.”
The partnership was originally tested in approximately 160 restaurants in the Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky, areas during the pilot project. Charlesworth said demand for donuts during this period “exceeded” the expectations of both McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme.
Customers will be able to purchase a single donut or a six-pack after they are “delivered fresh” to McDonald’s restaurants in the morning. The sweet circles can be purchased throughout the day until they run out.
Krispy Kreme will also be giving away a free Original Glazed Donut to guests who visit their local Krispy Kreme store today (March 26) between 5pm and 9pm local time.
The partnership comes at a crucial time for McDonald’s, which saw weakening business in the fourth quarter of 2023, with U.S. sales rising 4.3% quarter-over-quarter versus an estimated increase of 4.4%.
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“I think what you’re going to see as we get closer to 2024 is probably a greater focus on what I would describe as affordability,” McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said during a fourth-quarter 2023 earnings call.
McDonald’s was up just over 1.7% annually as of Tuesday afternoon, while Krispy Kreme skyrocketed more than 28% in just 24 hours after announcing the partnership.