Krispy Kreme, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based doughnut and coffeehouse company with 1,400 locations — including a drive-through-only outlet at 2122 William St. in Cape Girardeau — is tying the cost of a dozen glazed doughnuts to the average national price of a gallon of unleaded gas on Wednesdays through May 4.

During the week of April 11, for example, a dozen glazed cost a customer $4.11. The same box generally costs about $10.

"Inflation and high gasoline prices are serious and forcing families to make tough tradeoffs," said Dave Skena, Krispy Kreme's chief marketing office.

The temporary Wednesday pricing is based, the chain said, on whatever gas prices are as measured by the American Automobile Association the previous Monday.

The U.S. Labor Department, in its release of its consumer price index for March, noted inflation had surged to 8.5%, the highest rate since December 1981.

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