McDonald's is testing Krispy Kreme doughnuts at nine Kentucky restaurants. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme are teaming up to test a sweet addition to the fast-food giant’s menu — doughnuts.
Driving the news: The chains jointly announced a small-scale test will start Oct. 26 for nine McDonald’s in Louisville, Kentucky, which will get daily doughnut deliveries. The test could "inform future menu decisions."
- The nine McDonald's will sell three kinds of doughnuts: the Original Glazed, Chocolate Iced with Sprinkles and Raspberry Filled Doughnut.
- They can be ordered individually or in six packs.
Zoom out: It’s an unexpected move since the two chains are competitors, especially for breakfast with both serving coffee and pastries.
What they’re saying: “McDonald’s is always looking for ways to give our fans more of what they crave, and we often conduct tests to inform future menu decisions,” the company said in a statement.
- “This small-scale test will help us understand how offering new bakery items like Krispy Kreme could impact operations in our restaurants.”
- "This is our first partnership with McDonald’s in the US as we constantly look for new ways to increase access to fresh doughnuts through our delivered fresh daily network — a key element of our omni-channel strategy to attain 50,000 points of access globally," Krispy Kreme said in a separate statement.
Krispy Kreme Halloween donuts, Boo Buckets at McDonald's
Meanwhile, Krispy Kreme and McDonald's are both gearing up for Halloween.
- On Tuesday, McDonald's brought back its Halloween pails, aka Boo Buckets, for Happy Meals for the first time since 2016.
- The doughnut chain is selling special Halloween doughnuts for a limited time and anyone who comes in a costume to participating shops Oct. 31 will get a free doughnut, no purchase necessary.
More from Axios: