McDonald’s will sell Krispy Kreme doughnuts in select restaurants later this month for the first time.
Starting Oct. 26, the fast-food giant will sell Krispy Kreme doughnuts at nine locations in the Louisville, Kentucky, area as part of a test. McDonald’s said the test will help it learn more about how teaming up with Krispy Kreme would affect its operations.
McDonald’s customers will be able to order the original glazed, chocolate iced with sprinkles and raspberry filled doughnuts, either individually or in packs of six. Participating McDonald’s locations will sell the doughnuts all day, but the treats won’t be available for delivery.
Krispy Kreme will deliver fresh doughnuts daily to the McDonald’s restaurants, according to McDonald’s. The doughnut chain uses a “hub and spoke” model that lets it make and distribute its treats efficiently. Production hubs, which are either stores or doughnut factories, send off freshly made doughnuts every day to retail locations such as grocery stores and gas stations.
The test comes as consumers have been cutting back on restaurant visits as soaring inflation pressures budgets. To get customers back into restaurants, chains have been experimenting with new menu items and promotions.
In the first half of the year, McDonald’s said that lower-income consumers in the U.S. were spending less at its restaurants. Krispy Kreme CEO Mike Tattersfield, on the other hand, has said his chain has strong pricing power because customers are willing to splurge on affordable treats like fresh doughnuts.
In the second quarter, Krispy Kreme reported 7.5% revenue growth for its U.S. and Canada division. But it trimmed its full-year forecast for earnings and revenue, citing a stronger dollar and weaker performance from U.S. production hubs that don’t deliver to other locations.
It’s not the first time that fast-food chains have leaned on doughnuts to draw customers. In 2020, KFC launched a “Fried Chicken and Donut” sandwich nationwide after tests of the item grabbed attention on social media.
National Coffee Day is Thursday, Sept. 29, when baristas across the country will be handing out free java and offering deals on drinks, bags of coffee beans and more.
Take advantage of giveaways and specials all day at your local coffee house and national chains like Dunkin’, Peet’s and Krispy Kreme. (If you’re slow on the uptake, some deals extend through Oct. 1, International Coffee Day.)
Check out our regularly updated list of caffeinated deals below.
For more on coffee, check out an easy way to make iced coffee at home and the best coffeemakers for 2022.
Aroma Joe’s
Grab a free 16-ounce coffee from Aroma Joe’s on National Coffee Day.
Aroma Joe’s
Aroma Joe’s is celebrating National Coffee Day with a free 16-ounce hot or iced coffee for all customers. AJ’s Rewards members can upgrade that to a free 24-ounce beverage.
Atlas Coffee Club
Get your first 12-ounce bag free with a subscription to Atlas Coffee Club, which offers premium single-origin coffee from Costa Rica, Kenya, Peru, Indonesia and other corners of the globe.
Use code ATLASCOFFEEDAY22 at checkout through Oct. 3 and all you’ll have to pay for is shipping.
Barnes & Noble
Buy a baked good and get a free coffee at Barnes & Noble.
Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
B&N Cafes are celebrating National Coffee Day with a free tall hot or iced coffee with the purchase of a bakery item of your choice.
Bean Box
Use promo code FREECOFFEE on the Bean Box website through Oct. 1 and get a free 12-ounce bag of coffee.
Blue Bottle
Buy any 8-ounce bag of Blue Bottle whole bean coffee and get a free pour-over or cold brew.
Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
With more than 70 locations across Boston, California, Chicago, New York and Washington, DC, Blue Bottle is offering a BOGO promotion on National Coffee Day: Buy any 8-ounce bag of whole bean coffee and get a free pour-over or cold brew.
Plus, on Sept. 29 only, all online orders get free shipping.
Bulletproof Coffee
On International Coffee Day, Oct. 1, Bulletproof Coffee is offering
15% off all coffee and espresso
15% off all new subscriptions
15% off all bundles
20% off Baratza Grinders
Free shipping on orders over $40
Burger King
Every morning this week between 6 and 10 a.m, Royal Perks members get a free small BK Café Iced Coffee when they spend $1 or more on the BK app or bk.com.
Caribou Coffee
On Sept. 29, Caribou Coffee is offering $3 medium beverages for Caribou Perks members. New members get a free drink on their first visit after signing up.
The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
On Sept. 29, the Southern California-based chain will install interactive Coffee Cams at select locations to encourage visitors to snap a picture of their favorite coffee beverage.
Share your snapshot on social media using @thecoffeebean and #CoffeeBeanCoffeeCam and you’ll get a promo code on the Coffee Bean Rewards App for a free brewed or iced coffee.
Participating stores include the Manhattan Village location in Manhattan Beach and the Third Street Promenade location in Santa Monica.
Cult Coffee
First-time shoppers on the Cult Coffee website can get an item of their choice for free using the code FIRSTTIME at checkout. You’ll just need to pay for shipping.
Death Wish Coffee
Death Wish Coffee
Death Wish Coffee, which has twice the caffeine of most brands, is enticing new customers with free sample packs of its Keurig-like Death-Cups featuring dark, medium and espresso roasts. The offer is available through Sept. 29 while supplies last.
For existing customers, Death Wish is giving away a free tote bag with every order, along with other sitewide deals.
Delight Coffee
From Sept. 29 through Oct. 3, Delight Coffee is offering 30% off any purchase when you use code COFFEEDAY30.
Duck Donuts
Founded 16 years ago in Duck, North Carolina, by Russ DiGilio and Robin Griffith, Duck Donuts now has 100-plus locations across the US.
On Sept 29, you visit one and get a free medium hot coffee or cold brew with the purchase of a donut. Claim your beverage in person, on the Duck Donuts Rewards app or online with checkout code COFFEEDAY.
Dunkin’
Get a free medium hot or iced coffee with any purchase at Dunkin on Sept. 29.
NurPhoto / Getty Images
On National Coffee Day, DD Perks members get a free medium hot or iced coffee with any purchase.
Dunn Brothers Coffee
Founded in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1987 by brothers Ed and Dan Dunn, Dunn Brothers Coffee now has 57 locations throughout the US.
For National Coffee Day, the chain is offering a free medium coffee when you use the Dunn Brothers reward app.
Dutch Bros Coffee
Scan your Dutch Bros app on Sept. 29 and you could win free coffee for a year.
Dutch Bros
Through Sept. 28, Dutch Rewards members can win free coffee for a month. On National Coffee Day, members who scan their Dutch Pass at one of the drive-through chain’s 600-plus locations will be entered to win free Dutch Bros java for an entire year
For Wellness
Pro golfer Phil Mickelson launched For Wellness after being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. To celebrate National Coffee Day, the company is offering 25% off its Antioxidant Coffee.
Grounds & Hounds Coffee
From Sept. 26 through Sept. 30, Grounds & Hounds Coffee Co. will be offering 20% off sitewide. Also, customers that spend over $65 will receive a gift of espresso-infused caramels with their order by using the code FRESHBREWED at checkout.
Halo Top
Low-cal ice cream purveyor Halo Top is popping up outside coffee shops this fall to offer a free sample of its healthier alternative to the pumpkin spice latte. On National Coffee Day, Halo Top will be in Phoenix, Arizona — but you can see all the upcoming tour stops on the company’s Facebook page.
Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme is celebrating National Coffee Day with two deals: While all customers can get a free iced or hot coffee, no purchase necessary, Krispy Kreme Rewards members can also get a free donut of their choice.
La Colombe
Buy one 12-ounce box of La Colombe coffee beans on National Coffee Day and get a second box at half-price.
La Colombe
On National Coffee Day and International Coffee Day, La Colombe Coffee Roasters will be running a BOGO 50% off deal on all of its 12-ounce boxes of coffee beans. The deal, which includes All Dark, La Colombe’s first dark roast in over five years, runs through Oct. 1 both online and in La Colombe cafes.
You can also get 25% off cold brew and lattes using checkout code FALL25.
La Madeleine
La Madeleine is offering a free regular or large drip coffee to any guest who stops by the restaurant or orders online or through the app on Sept. 29.
La Mill
For both National and International Coffee Days, the LA-based roaster is taking 15% off all coffees and teas through Oct. 1.
McDonald’s
Download the McDonald’s app for $1 coffee for the rest of 2022.
Daniel Harvey Gonzalez/In Pictures via Getty Images
Through the end of the year, McDonald’s app rewards members can buy a hot or iced coffee for just $1.
Nick’s
For National Coffee Day, Nick’s ice cream is offering a free pint of Coffee Karamell with any order when you use code YAYCOFFEE.
Panera Bread
On Sept. 29: new unlimited Sip Club subscribers get two months’ membership free. Existing members receive $2 off select coffee beverages and smoothies.
Plus Panera Bread is rolling out its first MyPanera Week, with exclusive perks to celebrate its loyalty program through Oct. 5.
Pop & Bottle
Pop & Bottle Super Concentrate.
Pop & Bottle
This woman-owned coffee company is known for its organic, dairy-free oat and almond milk lattes. In honor of National Coffee Day, get a discount code for $4 off an 8-ounce bottle of Pop & Bottle Super Concentrate, which makes 16 cups of coffee.
Peet’s
Peet’s is handing out free small drip coffees with purchase at participating locations on National Coffee Day. Here are some other deals running Sept. 29 through Oct. 2:
20% off coffee beans, K-Cup pods and espresso capsules in coffee bars.
20% off when you shop online.
$0 Delivery fee for Peetnik Rewards Members when you place orders through the Peet’s app.
Plus, here’s a deal you can get any day: Peet’s always provides coffee bar guests one complimentary small coffee with the purchase of a 1-pound bag of beans. Limited to one per customer.
Sheetz
On National Coffee Day, Sheetz is offering one free cold brew coffee with purchase when you use the Sheetz app. The deal is good on any size coffee.
Shipley Do-Nuts
On National Coffee Day, Shipley Do-Nuts is offering a free medium house blend coffee with any purchase in-store or online with code COFFEE929.
Smoothie King
Visit a Smoothie King before 11 a.m. on Sept. 29 and get any 20-ounce espresso or cold-brew blended smoothie for just $5. Smoothie King Healthy Rewards Members can also buy a coffee smoothie and receive a reward for a free smoothie at a later date. Members also have a free espresso shot reward in their account until Sept. 30.
Stan’s Donuts & Coffee
Stan’s Donuts & Coffee is offering a free small coffee or cold brew for anyone who orders through its app on National Coffee Day. In addition, the Chicago-based chain is offering 50% off its coffee subscription on Oct. 1.
Tim Hortons
A quarter will get you a medium coffee at Tim Hortons on National Coffee Day.
Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images
On Sept. 29, you can get a medium hot or iced coffee for just 25 cents when you order through the Tim Hortons app or website.
The Canadian chain is also offering a $1 medium hot or iced coffee for the entire month of October.
Verve Coffee
On National Coffee Day, Verve Coffee is offering a free cup of coffee and a chance to win a Verve coffee subscription for a year.
Ziggi’s Coffee
On Sept. 29, Ziggi’s is giving away free coffee with any purchase from the Colorado-based chain’s mobile app.
What about Starbucks?
Starbucks will not have a National Coffee Day offer this year, a representative told CNET. To find deals, download the Starbucks app and join its rewards program.
OCEANSIDE, CA — In response to surging inflation and monstrous gas prices, Krispy Kreme stores across the nation, including the Oceanside location, will tie the price of a dozen doughnuts to the U.S. average price of a gallon of regular gasoline, the company announced.
Doughnut prices will “deflate” every Wednesday for one month. The price of a dozen original glazed doughnuts is typically $7.99.
The national average gas price tethered to doughnut prices was $4.11 on Wednesday; that will change each week.
The price of fuel is much higher in California, where drivers paid an average of $5.73 per gallon for regular gas on Wednesday.
There are four stores in the San Diego area, open every day from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m on weekdays and 10 p.m. on weekends:
2325 Vista Way, Oceanside
11050 Rancho Carmel Drive, San Diego
4180 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego
2305 Otay Lakes Rd., Suite 206, Chula Vista
“We know everyone could use a little doughnut deflation to sweeten the recent pain at the pump,” Krispy Kreme said on its website. “So for the next four Wednesdays, we are helping you fill your tank with Original Glazed Dozens by pricing them at the cost of the national average of 1 gallon of regular gas.”
Prices will be updated weekly as the gas price average shifts, and customers can redeem the offer in Krispy Kreme shops, drive-thru lines and online orders.
This week, the chain will give away a dozen original glazed doughnuts to people that donated blood to the American Red Cross. The promotion comes after the organization recently announced that it’s dealing with the worst blood shortage in over a decade, with the organization seeing a 10% decrease in donations since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
To receive the free dozen, customers have to order in-person at a Krispy Kreme shop and show their donation sticker or confirmation of their donation on the Red Cross blood donor app. Donating to other blood donation organizations besides the Red Cross will also qualify for the free dozen of doughnuts.
People can find where to donate blood on Red Cross’ website.
Many factors are causing the shortage, including canceled blood drives due to illness and staffing limitations, and an active flu season. Weather-related closures have also prevented some blood drives from taking place. A surge in Covid-19 cases could have also contributed to the ongoing shortage, according to the Red Cross.
Krispy Kreme has tried to promote Covid-19 vaccinations with free doughnuts last year. In March 2021, the chain began its giveaway to encourage people to get vaccinated with a free doughnut a day. It gave away nearly 4 million doughnuts in its effort.
The chain went public last year. Shares are down roughly 25% since its July 1, 2021 debut.
Beginning August 30, the chain is giving anyone with vaccination proof two free doughnuts every day until September 5. The promotion comes following the US Food and Drug Administration’s full approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine on Monday.
In March, the chain began its promotion to encourage people to get vaccinated with a free doughnut a day for the rest of the year. So far, Krispy Kreme says it has given away more than 2.5 million doughnuts through the deal.
The chain is also making a special heart-shaped doughnut to give away, in addition to a traditional glazed doughnut.
“We all hoped we’d be near the end of this pandemic by now. We’re not,” said Krispy Kreme’s Chief Marketing Officer Dave Skena in a press release. “So, please consider getting vaccinated if you’ve not done so already. And then enjoy and share two amazing doughnuts with our heart-felt thanks.”
Krispy Kreme said it will continue its free daily doughnut campaign through the end of the year. In order to qualify, customers have to show their vaccination card. Anyone who has received at least one shot of the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines is eligible.
The chain recently went public, but its stock price could use a jolt of sugar. Shares are down roughly 18% since its July 1 debut.
Doughnuts on a production line inside a Krispy Kreme Doughnuts store in Times Square in Manhattan.
Angus Mordant/Bloomberg
Krispy Kreme
led a group of six companies to the public markets on Thursday.
Besides the doughnut chain,
Acumen Pharmaceuticals,
D-MARKET Electronic Services & Trading,
Evercommerce,
Torrid Holdings,
and the
Glimpse Group
made their stock-market debuts.
So far this week, 17 companies, including those six, have listed their shares. There are no initial public offerings on tap for Friday because of the holiday weekend. On Wednesday, 10 companies went public, with
Didi Global,
the Uber of China, trading flat and closing at $14.14, 14 cents above its offering price.
On Thursday, Acumen Pharmaceuticals (ticker: ABOS) was one of the first to begin trading. The stock opened at $25.07 and closed at $20.10, up nearly 26% from the offering price.
The solid performance came after Acumen increased the size of its deal by nearly 20%. The biotech company, which is developing therapies to treat Alzheimer’s disease, collected about $160 million. It sold roughly 10 million shares at $16, the top of its $14-to-$16 range.
The Glimpse Group (VRAR), which develops and commercializes virtual and augmented reality software products, also opened. Shares kicked off at $11.75 and ended at $17.66, up 152% from its offer price. Glimpse delivered Thursday’s smallest deal. The company collected $12.3 million, after selling 1.75 million shares at $7, the midpoint of its $6-to-$8 price range.
Torrid Holdings (CURV) shares rose 15% from the offer price to close at $24.15. The direct-to-consumer retailer of plus-sized women’s clothes increased the size of its deal twice. It filed to offer 8 million shares at $18 to $21, which it boosted Wednesday to 10 million. It ended up selling 11 million shares at $21, the top of its expected range, raising $231 million. Sycamore Partners, the retail-focused private-equity firm, will own nearly 76% of Torrid after the IPO.
Krispy Kreme (DNUT), the most well-known of Thursday’s group, kicked off at $16.30 and ended at $21, up nearly 24% from the offer price. The doughnut chain increased the size of its deal by 10% but priced it well below its expected range to raise $500 million. Krispy Kreme had planned to offer 26.7 million shares at $21 to $24 each, but ended up selling 29.4 million shares at $17 each. JAB Holding, the European investment firm, will own about 39% of Krispy Kreme after the IPO
D-Market Electronic Services & Trading, or Hepsiburada (HEPS), jumped nearly 12% from its offer price to close at $13.43. Hepsiburada, which means “you can find anything you want here” in Turkish, is a leading e-commerce platform from Istanbul. The company raised $680 million after selling 56,740,000 American depositary shares at $12 each, the midpoint of its $11-to-$13 price range. Each ADS represents one class B ordinary share.
Lastly, EverCommerce (EVCM) stock opened at $20, but slipped back to close nearly 4% above its offer price at $17.60. EverCommerce’s IPO came in at $325 million after the comp[any sold 19.1 million shares at $17, the middle of its $16-to-$18 range. The company provides software for small and midsize service businesses.
Doughnuts on a production line inside a Krispy Kreme Doughnuts store in Times Square in Manhattan.
Angus Mordant/Bloomberg
Krispy Kreme
is leading a group of six companies to the public markets on Thursday.
Besides the doughnut chain,
Acumen Pharmaceuticals,
D-MARKET Electronic Services & Trading,
Evercommerce,
Torrid Holdings,
and the
Glimpse Group
opened for trading.
So far this week, 17 companies, including the current six, have listed their shares. There are no initial public offerings on tap for Friday because of the holiday weekend. On Wednesday, 10 companies went public, with
Didi Global,
the Uber of China, trading flat and closing at $14.14, 14 cents above its offering price.
On Thursday, Acumen Pharmaceuticals (ticker: ABOS) was one of the first to begin trading. The stock opened at $25.07, hit a high of $26.98, and recently changed hands in afternoon trading at $20.98, up 31% from the offering price.
The solid performance came after Acumen increased the size of its deal by nearly 20%. The biotech company, which is developing therapies to treat Alzheimer’s disease, collected about $160 million. It sold roughly 10 million shares at $16, the top of its $14-to-$16 range.
The Glimpse Group (VRAR), which develops and commercializes virtual and augmented reality software products, also opened. Shares kicked off at $11.75, peaked at $16.44, and recently traded at $12.95, up nearly 85%. Glimpse delivered Thursday’s smallest deal. The company collected $12.3 million, after selling 1.75 million shares at $7, the midpoint of its $6-to-$8 price range.
Torrid Holdings (CURV) began trading, with shares rising 15% from its offering price to $24.18 in afternoon trading. The plus-size, direct-to-consumer women’s retailer increased the size of its deal twice. It filed to offer 8 million shares at $18 to $21, which it boosted Wednesday to 10 million. It ended up selling 11 million shares at $21, the top of its expected range, raising $231 million. Sycamore Partners, the retail-focused private-equity firm, will own nearly 76% of Torrid after the IPO.
Krispy Kreme (DNUT), the most well-known of Thursday’s group, kicked off at $16.30, peaked at $20.17 and recently changed hands at $19.57, up 15% from the offer price. The doughnut chain increased the size of its deal by 10% but priced well below its expected range to raise $500 million. Krispy Kreme had planned to offer 26.7 million shares at $21 to $24 each, but ended up selling 29.4 million shares at $17 each. JAB Holding, the European investment firm, will own about 39% of Krispy Kreme after the IPO
D-Market Electronic Services & Trading, or Hepsiburada (HEPS), jumped 8% from its offer price and is trading at $13. Hepsiburada, which means “you can find anything you want here” in Turkish, is a leading e-commerce platform from Istanbul. The company raised $680 million after selling 56,740,000 American depositary shares at $12 each, the midpoint of its $11-to-$13 price range. Each ADS represents one class B ordinary share.
Lastly, Evercommerce (EVCM) also began trading. The stock opened at $20, hit a high of $21 and recently changed hands at $17.46, up nearly 3% from the offer price. Evercommerce’s IPO came in at $325 million after selling 19.1 million shares at $17, the middle of its $16-to-$18 range. The company provides SaaS software for small and midsize service businesses.
Half a dozen things you didn’t know about doughnuts
Did you know there are actually two National Doughnut Days? Or that Emily Post issued rules on dunking? We’ve sorted through the Internet to find six of the tastiest facts you might not know about doughnuts.
If the real Mars were covered in frosting and cookie crumbs, man would’ve made it there before the moon.
In honor of NASA’s scheduled landing of the Perseverance Rover on Mars this Thursday, Krispy Kreme is offering an all-new “Mars Doughnut” designed to look like the Red Planet itself, with caramel icing and chocolate cookie crumbles.
The doughnut will be available for one day only on Feb. 18, at participating Krispy Kreme locations.
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“The landing of Perseverance on Mars will be an epic and important achievement,” said Krispy Kreme Chief Marketing Officer Dave Skena in a press release. “So, we’re celebrating the best way we know how: with an amazing new doughnut discovery right here on earth.”
Krispy Kreme will also be offering the doughnut free of charge to any of the 11 million people who participated in NASA’s “Send Your Name to Mars” program, which allowed NASA’s fans to submit their name for inclusion on a microchip to arrive on the Red Planet with the rover. Those wishing to redeem their free doughnut need only show their NASA-issued “boarding pass” to take advantage of the offer.
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NASA’s Perseverance Rover, which was deployed July 30, 2020, is scheduled to touch down in Mars’ Jezero Crater at 3:55 p.m. EST on Feb. 18. NASA will be streaming the landing live at NASA.gov/NASAlive.
It’s not every day that NASA lands an SUV-sizerover on Mars. The last rover to land on Mars was Curiosity in 2012; the stationary InSight lander touched down in 2018.
To mark the rare occasion, Krispy Kreme is offering a limited-edition themed doughnut — only available on Thursday.
The Marsdoughnut will look like the red planet itself.
The caramel-dipped and chocolate cream-filled dougnut is topped with a swirl that resembles Mars, and it’s even sprinkled with chocolate cookie crumbs for that authentic dusty Martian touch.
If you submitted your name during NASA’s “Send Your Name to Mars” campaign, which put almost 11 million names on the rover before it departed for its journey to Mars, bring your “boarding pass” to Krispy Kreme and your Mars Doughnut is free.
“The landing of Perseverance on Mars will be an epic and important achievement,” said Dave Skena, Krispy Kreme chief marketing officer, in a statement. “So, we’re celebrating the best way we know how: with an amazing new doughnut discovery right here on earth.”
Landing day: What to know
Perseverance, which is NASA’s most sophisticated rover to date, is expected to land on the surface of Mars around 3:55 p.m. ET on Thursday.
The rover has been traveling through space since launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at the end of July. When it reaches Mars, Perseverance will have traveled 292.5 million miles on its journey from Earth.
Perseverance is NASA’s first mission that will search for signs of ancient life on another planet to help answer the big question: Was life ever present on Mars?
The rover will explore Jezero Crater, the site of an ancient lake that existed 3.9 billion years ago, and search for microfossils in the rocks and soil there.
Along for the ride with Perseverance is an experiment to fly a helicopter, called Ingenuity, on another planet for the first time.
The team at NASA is inviting the world to tune in to its countdown and landing commentary, which will stream live beginning on Thursday at 2:15 p.m. ET. Tune in via NASA’s public TV channel, website, app, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, Daily Motion or THETA.TV. In a first, the agency will also offer a Spanish language show for the landing.
During the landing coverage, NASA’s mission control team will be able to confirm if the rover safely landed on the surface of Mars.
Naturally, the rover has its own Twitter and Facebook accounts, where you can expect updates from the mission team from the perspective of the rover. And you can bet the Curiosity rover and InSight lander will be welcoming Perseverance to their home, the red planet.
The agency has fun ways to participate in the countdown excitement, like photo booths and activities for kids and students. You can also follow every step of the rover’s landing through a NASA interactive or sign up for a virtual experience of the landing.
