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You can get a free Krispy Kreme doughnut every day this week. What to know

Krispy Kreme, best known for its “Hot Now” glazed doughnuts, wants to hand out at least 45,000 doughnuts this week.
Krispy Kreme, best known for its “Hot Now” glazed doughnuts, wants to hand out at least 45,000 doughnuts this week. Photo by Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme plans to give away 45,000 free doughnuts, one of many ways its celebrating the beloved Pac-Man video game.

From May 12 to May 18, anyone can get a free Original glazed doughnut when they visit a Krispy Kreme shop or drive-thru during Hot Light hours, the Charlotte-based doughnut chain said in a news release.

The hot light, signaling that hot, fresh doughnuts are coming off the production line, is usually aglow from 7 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m., though these hours vary by location.

Free doughnuts are limited to one per person per day, and no purchase is necessary, Krispy Kreme said.

The weeklong giveaway coincides with the 45th anniversary of Pac-Man. Krispy Kreme teamed up with Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., the company behind the classic arcade game, to launch the new Krispy Kreme x Pac-Mac collection.

The new Krispy Kreme x Pac-Man Collection features three new limited-time doughnuts.
The new Krispy Kreme x Pac-Man Collection features three new limited-time doughnuts. Photo by Krispy Kreme

The lineup includes three new doughnuts:

  • Pac-Man Party doughnut: Original glazed doughnut topped with yellow buttercream icing, celebration sprinkles and a Pac-Man piece.
  • Team Ghost doughnut: Shell doughnut filled with chocolate Kreme, dipped in black icing, decorated with a Pac-Man maze and topped with a Team Ghosts piece.
  • Strawberry Power Berry doughnut: Shell doughnut filled with strawberry Kreme, dipped in red icing and topped with white sprinkles and green icing.

Krispy Kreme is inviting fans to help it reach its goal of giving away 45,000 glazed doughnuts. The reward?

It “will unlock the return of Krispy Kreme’s popular Strawberry Glazed Doughnut,” which was last offered for a limited time in 2023, the chain said.

Find your nearest Krispy Kreme here.

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This story was originally published May 12, 2025 at 1:47 PM with the headline "You can get a free Krispy Kreme doughnut every day this week. What to know."

Tanasia Kenney
Sun Herald
Tanasia is a service journalism reporter at the Charlotte Observer | CharlotteFive, working remotely from Atlanta, Georgia. She covers restaurant openings/closings in Charlotte and statewide explainers for the NC Service Journalism team. She’s been with McClatchy since 2020.
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