Marketing

Krispy Kreme is giving away a bunch of doughnuts next week

The doughnut chain will give random customers a card worth a dozen free doughnuts per month through next June to celebrate its 85th birthday.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts
Krispy Kreme is giving a year's worth of free doughnuts to 8,500 customers next Monday through Thursday.

You might be able to score a bunch of free doughnuts next week.

Krispy Kreme, the Charlotte, N.C.-based doughnut chain, is giving away 8,500 years’ worth of free doughnuts next Monday through Thursday. Specifically, the company will give random customers a “birthday card” that will be worth one dozen glazed doughnuts each month through June next year—enough to amount to 8,500 years’ worth of doughnuts.

Or, put it another way, 8,500 people will get a year’s worth of free doughnuts.

The company is doing this to celebrate its 85th anniversary. The chain was founded by New Orleans chef Vernon Rudolph in Winston-Salem, N.C. in 1937. Krispy Kreme has in recent years morphed into an omnichannel treat company that makes doughnuts mostly in its largest stores and sells them in smaller locations and kiosks inside grocery stores and other retailers.

In addition to the free doughnuts, Krispy Kreme says it plans to sell a dozen glazed doughnuts for 85 cents on Friday, July 15.

The giveaway is the latest in a growing line of marketing efforts from Krispy Kreme recently, as the chain works to give people more reason to try its doughnuts. The company is currently selling a dozen doughnuts for the average price of a gallon of gas every Wednesday. It is also giving away a free doughnut every time it lights its “Hot Light” announcing the availability of hot doughnuts. Both of those promotions run through the end of the summer.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

The Tijuana Flats bankruptcy highlights the dangers of menu miscues

The Bottom Line: The fast-casual chain’s problems following new menu debuts in 2021 and 2022 show that adding new items isn’t always the right idea.

Financing

For Papa Johns, the CEO departure came at the wrong time

The Bottom Line: The pizza chain worked to convince franchisees to buy into a massive marketing shift. And then the brand’s CEO left.

Leadership

Restaurants bring the industry's concerns to Congress

Nearly 600 operators made their case to lawmakers as part of the National Restaurant Association’s Public Affairs Conference.

Trending

More from our partners