While McDonald's (MCD) is not known for being an experimental company with its menu items -- very much the opposite, in fact -- it has definitely made it clear that its open to the idea of partnerships.
The chain is known for starting the celebrity meal trend way back in 1992 when it recruited MBA legend Michael Jordan to help create The McJordan Special, a combo including a Quarter Pounder with bacon and barbecue sauce, fries, and a soft drink. While it was only available in Chicago at the time, it marked the very first of many future collaborations.
Since then, McDonald's has called on a variety of different famous folks to help sell its products, some of the most recent being rappers Travis Scott and Saweetie, Colombian singer J Balvin, and Korean superstars BTS.
McDonald's latest move is definitely an unexpected one. That said, it's one that most people cruising through the drive-thru will likely be thrilled to see, no matter if they're stopping by for breakfast, lunch, or dinner (or midnight snack, even).
Who Is McDonald's Partnering With?
Starting October 26, nine McDonald's locations in the Louisville, Kentucky area will offer Krispy Kreme (DNUT) doughnuts, either individually or in a pack of six. There's no word on whether these will be served warm or not, but hey, it's a Krispy Kreme doughnut to go with your coffee!
The varieties available include original glazed, chocolate iced with sprinkles, and raspberry-filled. They will be available for purchase at these locations but not via delivery, so if you want them, you're gonna have to get in your car (which feels like a heavy lift in a world where Doordash (DASH) exists).
McDonald's will not be making the doughnuts on site, but having them delivered on a daily basis directly from Krispy Kreme.
The doughnuts are a small scale test, according to Restaurant Business Online. If the test performs well, it's possible that they could come to more locations, but that's up in the air for now. However, with only 367 Krispy Kreme locations in total and just 245 in the U.S., it would be nigh impossible for the company to find a way to supply all McDonald's locations. As of 2021, there were more than 13,000--and more have opened since as well.
A Unique Move For The Fast Food King
Outside of drinks, McDonald's has historically never featured other brands on its menu. While it did enter a partnership with Beyond Meat to manufacture the now-defunct McPlant, the product did not clearly advertise being made with Beyond Meat in its promotions and simply advertised itself as "McPlant: Our iconic taste, plant based."
However, McDonald's seems more willing to enter new territory this year. It recently introduced both an Adult Happy Meal featuring collectible toys from designer Cynthia Lu, known for her line Cactus Plant Flea Market, as well as bringing back its iconic Halloween buckets for a limited run this month. The former seems to be aimed at Gen Z, while the latter would warm even the coldest heart of any Gen X or Millennial (as nostalgia often tends to do).
