Retail Watchers

Dutch Bros. is set to open 130 stores in 2022. The drive-thru coffee chain has 603 stores in 14 states. They plan to open 4,000 locations and the vast majority of growth will be company owned locations.

This chain is very popular. The drive-thru small format seems to be a much cheaper to run operation than a Starbucks. There is no dining room and some locations have walk up windows. There may be some benches or tables outside of the store.

Dutch Bros. keeps their menu simple. There are drinks and then a small amount of baked items. Starbucks meanwhile has heat up sandwiches and different packaged foods that slow down the walk up line or drive-thru.

This chain is a very serious threat to Starbucks.

I don't like drive throughs. They have some locations that are so busy their line spills out into major roadways. This is one of those "great problems to have."