A Harris poll finds 26% of US consumers are turning to chocolate as a comfort food during the pandemic. It also states roughly 40% are eating more snacks, as "it seems like everyday is Super Bowl Sunday during the COVID-19 crisis," says John Gerzema, Harris Poll CEO.

Krispy Kreme's redesigned stores will include features such as digital menuboards and a mobile pickup area, and the brand is also branching into ice cream. Krispy Kreme plans 45 new locations by the end of next year.

Panera, Taco Bell and Marco's Pizza topped their respective categories in this year's EquiTrend Brand Equity Index from The Harris Poll, and Dunkin' tied with Krispy Kreme to lead the coffee shop segment. High-ranking brands showed devotion to customers and expected stellar performance, according to John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll.

Several restaurants are rolling out specials in celebration of National Doughnut Day, including Dunkin' Donuts, Edible Arrangements, Krispy Kreme and Burger King. National Doughnut Day, started by the Salvation Army in 1938, falls on June 1 every year.

The 2015 Harris Poll EquiTrend survey reveals that Hershey's Kisses and Reese's Pieces are the top brands in their respective chocolate and non-chocolate categories, while Ghirardelli placed first in premium chocolate and Krispy Kreme was named Brand of the Year for coffee. The poll included 38,000 U.S. consumers who judged a wide variety of brands based on familiarity, quality and consideration.