America’s Favorite Coffee Shop Isn’t Even A Coffee Shop, And We’re Confused

Every regular coffee drinker has their favorite spot to grab a cup of joe — coffee lovers tend to be very particular that way. Your daily dose of caffeine has to be pretty much perfect, and if it’s not, it can ruin your mood for the rest of the day… or at least for most of the morning (trust me, you don’t want to get in between me and my daily almond milk latte). So it’s no surprise that some coffee shops tend to be more popular than others, and that caffeine addicts have specific preferences (are you a Dunkin or Starbucks fan? Peet’s or Coffee Bean?) But here’s something weird: A recent survey has revealed that America’s favorite coffee shop isn’t even an actual coffee shop. Uh, what’s going on here, exactly?

The Harris Poll recently released its 2018 EquiTrend Brands of the Year, which is an annual look at how customers view companies. While some of the results aren’t too shocking, the consensus on the best coffee shop in the United States is more than a little surprising. According to the poll, Krispy Kreme won as best coffee shop, beating out actual coffee shops like Starbucks and Peet’s. What?! I mean, don’t get me wrong, Krispy Kreme is awesome — if you haven’t tried their glazed donuts yet, you’re missing out on something truly special — but the best coffee shop in America? I don’t think so, friends. The coffee is good, but is it that good? Apparently!

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According to the website, the results of the Harris Poll are based on three factors: “Familiarity, Quality, and Purchase Consideration.” This year’s poll results were taken from over 77,000 respondents nationwide, and ranked more than 3,000 brands across hundreds of categories, so it’s safe to say there were a lot of options to choose from. According to Food & Wine, this is the first time Krispy Kreme has beat out Starbucks, and I have to say… I’m still shook about it.

As for some of the other results, they make a little more sense than the coffee shop decision. The best chicken restaurant was Chick-fil-A, best Mexican restaurant went to Taco Bell (I mean…I guess? Love me some Taco Bell, but not sure if we can call it Mexican food), best sandwich shop was a tie between Panera and Subway, best ice cream shop went to Ben & Jerry’s, and best casual dining restaurant was another tie between The Cheesecake Factory and Texas Roadhouse.