Krispy Kreme pauses doughnut rollout with McDonald's after surprising lack of demand

Core Viewpoint - Krispy Kreme is pausing its planned rollout of selling doughnuts in McDonald's locations nationwide to reassess the deployment schedule and achieve a profitable business model for both parties [1][2]. Company Summary - As of the end of March, Krispy Kreme sells doughnuts in over 2,400 McDonald's restaurants and does not expect to add more locations in the second quarter of 2025 [1]. - The partnership between Krispy Kreme and McDonald's was announced in March 2024, with the goal of selling doughnuts at all McDonald's locations in the US by the end of 2026 [2][4]. - Krispy Kreme's CEO mentioned that demand fell below expectations after the initial launch, necessitating intervention [2]. - The company has pulled its full-year outlook due to macroeconomic softness and uncertainty surrounding the McDonald's deployment schedule [4]. Industry Summary - Fast-food restaurants, including McDonald's, are experiencing sluggish sales attributed to economic uncertainty affecting consumer spending [4][5]. - McDonald's US same-store sales dropped by 3.6% in the first quarter, marking the largest decline since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 [4]. - Other restaurant chains, such as Domino's Pizza, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Starbucks, have also reported decreased consumer spending on dining out due to inflation and a negative economic outlook [5].