Krispy Kreme is sweetening the day for customers affected by a global technology outage with a generous offer this Friday. The popular doughnut chain announced it will provide a complimentary Original Glazed doughnut to patrons from 5 PM to 7 PM local time, no purchase necessary. This initiative aims to bring a little joy amid the disruptions caused by the widespread tech failure.
In a light-hearted Instagram post, Krispy Kreme reassured customers, stating, “Sweet-ware update available! Does technology have you down today? Our windows are working great and so is our Hot Light. Come on in and help yourself to a FREE Original Glazed Doughnut from 5-7 pm to add some sweetness to this sour day!” However, it’s important to note that this offer is only available at participating locations and is subject to product availability. Customers can take advantage of this offer either in-store or via the drive-thru, with a limit of one doughnut per guest.
The global tech outage has had far-reaching consequences, affecting various sectors including airlines, banking, healthcare, and public transportation. The incident, attributed to a faulty system update by a cybersecurity firm, has caused significant disruptions worldwide. CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company that provides services to numerous Fortune 500 companies, reported that a defect in one of its recent content updates impacted Microsoft’s Windows Operating System. The firm clarified that this incident was not a security breach or a cyberattack.
CrowdStrike’s CEO, George Kurtz, addressed the situation in an interview, stating, “The issue has been identified, isolated, and a fix has been deployed.” Microsoft also confirmed that the underlying cause of the outage has been rectified, although some residual effects may still impact certain Microsoft 365 applications and services.
The effects of the outage were felt acutely in the United States, where hundreds of flights were canceled on Friday morning. Major airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines, grounded flights shortly after Microsoft announced it had resolved the cloud-services-related outage that had initially affected several low-cost carriers.
Public transit systems across the U.S. also reported disruptions. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in Washington, D.C., indicated that its website and some internal systems were down, although trains and buses continued to operate on schedule. Similarly, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City confirmed that while buses and trains remained unaffected, some customer information systems were temporarily offline due to the global technical issues.
In addition to the U.S., the outage impacted financial markets and operations worldwide. The London Stock Exchange was among those disrupted, highlighting the extensive reach of the technology failure. As businesses and services strive to return to normalcy, Krispy Kreme’s offer serves as a reminder of the small joys that can brighten a challenging day.
As the situation evolves, many are turning to social media to share their experiences and frustrations related to the outage, with memes and humorous posts circulating widely. The tech community and users alike continue to monitor the situation closely, hoping for a swift resolution to any lingering issues.
