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McDonald’s adding glazed donut to menu for limited time

By MixDex Article may include affiliate links

McDonald’s is getting into the donut business.

The fast food restaurant announced that it’s adding a “shareable” glazed donut to its menu in the U.S. starting Sept. 1, 2021, for a limited time.

The new product is part of the McCafe bakery line that launched in November 2020 and includes an apple fritter, blueberry muffin and cinnamon roll.

The item will be available on the chain’s all day breakfast menu.

Preview images of the donut show that it’s not a traditional ring shaped offering — but rather looks like seven smaller round balls of dough linked together in a pattern evocative of a flower.

Offering a glazed donut, in addition to the existing apple fritter, which is is considered a donut, is notable because it places McDonald’s more in line with Dunkin’, a big rival for morning eats.

Dunkin’, formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts, started as a donut chain but has been in the process of reimagining itself around its coffee and food offerings. It’s made big investments in coffee equipment and new menu items, including plant based ones and items that directly compete with Starbucks.

Each piece is designed to be torn off and eaten separately.

McCafe is, in some markets, a separate concept from McDonald’s.

In most U.S. stores, however, it’s a “store within a store” brand for the chain’s line of coffee and dairy drinks, including the chain’s shakes.

Rather than create separate stores, most U.S. locations were renovated to include a new coffee preparation area near the main counter, a big upgrade to the chain’s coffee brewing options.

Meanwhile, the bakery lineup has helped McDonald’s increase its breakfast sales at a period when they were starting lag amid growing competition in the space.