Sometimes fast food dreams come true—and sometimes they quietly vanish before they ever go national.

While most customers stick to their go-to burger or shake, it’s the limited-time collabs that really spark buzz.

And one recent menu addition had people seriously excited for something new at the drive-thru.

But now, that excitement is being replaced by a pause button—and possibly, a goodbye.



McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme are officially pressing pause on their high-profile doughnut partnership.

As of March 30, 2025, Krispy Kreme doughnuts are available in just 2,400 McDonald’s locations, mostly across the Midwest.

But despite plans for nationwide rollout by 2026, no additional restaurants will be added during the second quarter of this year.

Krispy Kreme said it is now reassessing its deployment schedule with the burger chain.


The partnership first launched in 2024, beginning in Louisville, Kentucky as a small-scale test.

Customers had the chance to pair their Big Mac with Original Glazed, Chocolate Iced with Sprinkles, and Chocolate Iced Kreme Filled doughnuts.

The rollout sparked massive anticipation online from fans eager to see doughnuts join their drive-thru lineup.

But for now, that dream is on hold—and the companies haven’t confirmed when, or if, expansion will resume.



Krispy Kreme’s recent Q1 financial report revealed broader concerns behind the pause.

The company cited “macroeconomic softness” and “uncertainty around the McDonald’s deployment schedule” as reasons for withdrawing its full-year outlook.

McDonald’s itself also reported a 3.6% sales drop in the U.S. for the same period.

It’s a reminder that even buzzworthy collabs aren’t immune to market realities.

Fans were hoping Krispy Kreme doughnuts would become a permanent McDonald’s fixture, but now they’re left with only the select test locations.

Still, McDonald’s has rolled out other new sweet items, including the Chocolate Chip Frappé made with Hershey.

And customer-created favorites like the Cotton Candy Sprite menu trick continue to make waves on social media.

For now, doughnut lovers will have to wait—and maybe cross their fingers.



While both companies insist they believe in the long-term value of the partnership, there’s no updated timeline on when it might return.

It’s possible the rollout could resume in 2026 as originally planned—but nothing’s been confirmed.

In the meantime, this fan-favorite team-up might quietly join the list of fast food ideas that never made it nationwide.

And for those outside the test markets, the window may have already closed.

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Did you get to try the McDonald’s Krispy Kreme combo in your area? Would you want doughnuts at your local drive-thru—or are you sticking to McFlurries? Tell us in the comments—your feedback might be just what McDonald’s needs to rethink the pause.