America celebrated the first National Donut Day in 1938, but the beloved snack is still undergoing innovation, Dunkin' Brands CEO Nigel Travis said Friday.
The trend these days? Indulgence.
"You're seeing a trend toward more indulgent doughnuts," Travis said on CNBC's "Squawk Box."
Travis made his comments on the day America celebrates the deep-fried pastry. National Donut Day was inaugurated nearly 80 years ago as a fundraiser for the Salvation Army.
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The celebration coincides with the start of the pre-summer weeks, when Dunkin' Brands, operator of the Dunkin' Donuts chain of bakeries, begins to see an uptick in its business, Travis said.
Dunkin' is trying to meet demand for lavish treats by partnering with Mondelez to offer options like Chips Ahoy! cookie crumble and Oreo cheesecake square doughnuts.
"There is two levels to doughnuts. There is the indulgent, slightly higher ones like cheesecake doughnuts. They're slightly higher priced," he said, adding that these treats are for customers who want to spoil themselves on a special day.
Did someone mention carbs and calories?