Drive-Thru Coffee Purchases Hit Record 59%

America is embracing the rise of the small, drive-thru coffee chain.

As the Financial Times reported Sunday (Sept. 28), hundreds of these locations — in buildings “the size of shipping containers” are cropping up around the U.S.

They’re run by drive-thru chains such as Dutch Bros, 7 Brew, Biggby Coffee, Scooter’s Coffee and Black Rock Coffee Bar, focusing on fast service and in many cases lacking anywhere to sit or kitchens larger than 350 square feet.

“People don’t want to go inside and sit around anymore. They are interested in getting in and out,” said Shaina Allen, a franchisee at Scooter’s, which has seen its store count triple to nearly 900 over the last five years.

The report cited data from the U.S. National Coffee Association which showed that a record 59% of American consumers who purchased a cup of coffee picked it up at a drive-thru, compared to 55% in 2024.

The FT also noted that this model is in contrast with coffee sector leader Starbucks as it invests heavily in making its stores a place to “connect and gather,” as CEO Brian Niccol said. Less than half of Starbucks’ 17,000 U.S. stores include drive-thru windows, the report said.

The news comes days after Starbucks announced plans to cut 900 jobs and close 1% of its stores as part of its turnaround plan.

Ultimately, the company aims to add more stores and renovate another 1,000, Niccol said in a message to employees shared on the Starbucks website. The decision to shutter the stores followed a review of the company’s North American operations.

“During the review, we identified coffeehouses where we’re unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect, or where we don’t see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed,” the announcement said.

Niccol added that the company will focus on Starbucks locations that are more in tune with its efforts to promote “sit and stay” visits.

In other coffee-related news, PYMNTS spoke last month with Gregory Zamfotis, founder and CEO of Gregory’s Coffee, about his company’s efforts to branch out after COVID.

Testing new areas outside its initial homebase in Manhattan opened the door to a wider market, from parents grabbing coffee during a school run to college students and people on vacation.

“We’re finding all sorts of demographics that are loving what we do,” Zamfotis said. “When you’re aiming to be sort of America’s coffeehouse, you want to position yourself where just about anybody can enjoy.”