Dutch Bros, the drive-thru coffee chain, has become one of the fastest-growing restaurant concepts in the United States, more than doubling its footprint in just five years. After raising about $500 million in an initial public offering in September 2021—funds largely used to pay down debt and fuel expansion—the company grew from 470 locations at the end of 2021 to more than 1,100 by the end of 2025. It is on track to exceed 1,300 stores by the end of 2026. The chain, which began in Oregon, was once concentrated in 11 western states.
Today, it operates in 25 states, including new territories like Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. Its 1,000th store opened in Orlando, Florida, the farthest point in the continental U. S. from its home state.
The expansion into Texas shows the scale of that growth. Five years ago, Dutch Bros had just entered the state with seven locations; Texas has since become its largest market. In January 2026, the company acquired a 20-store chain called Clutch Coffee in the Carolinas and reported that sales at those locations tripled after they were converted to Dutch Bros. The company also recently agreed to acquire the assets of Salt & Joe, a bankrupt 65-unit drive-thru chain in Arizona, with plans to rebrand those locations.
System-wide sales have passed $2 billion over the past five years, and average sales per store exceed $2 million. Same-store sales have remained consistently positive, which company officials point to as evidence that demand justifies the rapid build-out. Dutch Bros has stated a goal of reaching 2,029 locations by 2029, with a long-term target of 7,000 stores. Part of the appeal lies in the menu.
Coffee accounts for about half of all sales, a category in which the company has deep roots—it originally sold handcrafted espresso from a pushcart before most Americans had ever tried it, often giving away free samples to win early customers. Its signature coffee blend uses 100% Arabica beans from Central and South America. Another quarter of sales comes from its Rebel energy drink line, which features names like OG Gummy Bear and Tigers Blood, and the final quarter comes from teas, lemonades, and other drinks. Many locations now sell food, mostly baked goods and breakfast items, and the chain has popular seasonal offerings such as the Caramel Pumpkin Brûlée in the fall.
The experience itself is a key differentiator. While Starbucks, also founded in the Northwest, built its brand around a comfortable place to sit and linger, Dutch Bros deliberately chose the opposite approach. The company aims for an energetic atmosphere with loud, upbeat music and a focus on speed and convenience. About 85% of its locations are drive-thru only, with the remaining 15% offering walk-up windows.
These small-format stores average under 1,000 square feet—about half the size of a typical Starbucks—and drinks are often slightly cheaper, appealing to a different customer base. The company added mobile ordering through its app in 2024. Friendliness is a central part of the brand. Employees, called “broistas,” are known for their cheerful demeanor, remembering regulars’ names and usual orders, and even rewarding pets.
Some locations have a tradition of giving a free drink to customers having an especially rough day. The company’s website says, “We may sell coffee, but we’re in the relationship business. ” In 2025, Dutch Bros said it received more than 780,000 job applications to fill just 19,000 positions—an acceptance rate of 2. 4%, which the company noted is lower than Harvard’s admission rate, allowing it to hire highly motivated staff.
The company was founded by two Dutch-born brothers, Dane and Travis Boersma, whose family had worked in dairy farming for generations. Industry changes in the 1990s made farming impractical, so they pivoted to the emerging coffee scene. Their first coffee cart earned $65 on opening day, and soon revenue passed $100 a day, most of which was reinvested. Travis has said they lived frugally and stayed disciplined, growing from carts into permanent drive-thru locations.
Dane Boersma died in 2009, four years after being diagnosed with ALS. The company still hosts an annual fundraiser every May called “Drink One for Dane” to support ALS research. Travis remained CEO until just before the 2021 IPO, retaining 41% ownership and 74% voting power. He now serves as chairman; Forbes estimates his net worth at over $3 billion.
Dutch Bros also stands out for its unusual operational structure. While most rapid-growth restaurant chains rely heavily on franchising, Dutch Bros stopped selling franchises to outsiders in 2008 and stopped selling them entirely in 2017, even buying back some existing ones. Today, all operators are company employees who start as “broistas” and work their way up. The company says this tight control keeps standards consistent, and its CFO has stated that customers get the same Dutch Bros experience everywhere, a claim many regulars echo.
That consistency has built loyalty. In 2021, the company launched its Dutch Rewards program, and by the end of 2025 it had more than 15 million members, accounting for 72% of all transactions—a share that has risen each year. Company leadership sees this as strong evidence that customers will keep returning, even as hundreds of new stores open.
Whether the company can sustain that momentum on its way to 7,000 locations remains an open question.