BIGGBY COFFEE

<a href="https://www.biggbyfranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=biggby-coffee-announces-promotion-of-john-w-gilkey-to-president-2717696" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">BIGGBY® COFFEE</a>, the high-energy coffee franchise dedicated to helping franchisees, employees, customers and communities build a life they love, has announced its promotion of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-gilkey/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=biggby-coffee-announces-promotion-of-john-w-gilkey-to-president-2717696" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">John W. Gilkey</a> to president with that mission in mind. As the former vice president of technology for the brand, Gilkey&nbsp;has in-depth experience strengthening the brand’s business management and plans to use that experience in his new role to help the brand reach its goals.Gilkey has been working with BIGGBY® COFFEE for the past 18 years, first as an external consultant to help improve the development of the brand’s technology. When he was asked to officially join the team in 2018 as vice president of technology, he brought with him a plethora of knowledge on <a href="https://www.eosworldwide.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=biggby-coffee-announces-promotion-of-john-w-gilkey-to-president-2717696" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">EOS, the Entrepreneurial Operating Systems</a>, and a passion for quality systems. Now, as the president of the BIGGBY® COFFEE, Gilkey will further solidify the implementation of EOS, structure that system around the brand’s vision and propel BIGGBY® COFFEE into the future.“A lot of what I work on falls into three categories. The first is organizational development. I’m a big believer that people have to understand what they do to love their job,” he said. “Bringing clarity to people’s roles and how they work together is extremely important, and EOS plays a major role in accomplishing that.”“The second is that I wanted to bring a quality mindset to BIGGBY® COFFEE,” Gilkey continued. “It’s important that we have the right systems running and that they’re continuously improving. The third is systems-driven management. We use the term ‘spheres’ to describe the major functional areas of our business; the concept of intersecting spheres helps eliminates silos and brings clarity to how our systems work together.&nbsp;As a purpose-driven company, the goal of the BIGGBY® COFFEE is to support all of our stakeholders — including employees, owners/operators, vendor partners, and BIGGBY® COFFEE fanatics — in building a life they love. And Gilkey plans to help the brand reach that goal.“We want everyone who’s been working for BIGGBY® COFFEE&nbsp;to give us a score of at least nine out of ten to the question, ‘Is BIGGBY® COFFEE supporting you in building a life you love?’, especially from the franchise stores and baristas,” he said. “If we do that, we’ve achieved something absolutely phenomenal. We believe we have an enormous opportunity to change the trajectory of hundreds of thousands of people’s lives.”With a focus on our purpose, quality systems, and technology, Gilkey is stepping into his role with a commitment to seeing the BIGGBY® COFFEE brand thrive.About BIGGBY® COFFEEBIGGBY® COFFEE, based in East Lansing, Michigan, was started with a single store on March 15, 1995. One year later, and on the cusp of opening a second location, Bob Fish and Michael McFall, on a handshake and $4,000, decided to franchise the concept. BIGGBY® COFFEE’s cultural values of Make Friends, Have Fun, B Yourself and Share Great Coffee help coffee lovers and the coffee-curious alike benefit from a less pretentious and fun approach to the standard gourmet cafe paradigm. Besides connoisseur-worthy drinks with names like Teddy Bear® and Caramel Marvel®, BIGGBY® baristas provide a unique experience focused on brightening their customers’ day and supporting them in building a life they love. The “Big ‘B’” on the orange background caught on, and today BIGGBY® COFFEE has more than 280 cafes across many states including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Florida. In 2018 BIGGBY® launched an Area Representative Program and currently has 17 Area Representatives in 8 states.

BIGGBY® COFFEE Announces Promotion of John W. Gilkey to President 

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The organizational development and technology expert plans to help springboard the 280-unit coffee franchise into the future and bring the brand’s vision of improving workplace culture to life.

This brand page has been paid for by BIGGBY COFFEE. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

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EAST LANSING, Mich. —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biggbyfranchising.com/">BIGGBY® COFFEE</a>, the people-focused coffee franchise with over 450 locations, was named on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/lists/best-customer-service/">Forbes Best Customer Service 2026 list</a>, ranking No. 115 among the top 300 brands recognized nationwide. The annual ranking, published October 14 and conducted in partnership with customer-insights firm&nbsp;<a href="https://hundredx.com/">HundredX</a>, highlights companies that deliver exceptional personal interaction, speed, service quality and problem resolution.The 2026 list was developed from an extensive online survey fielded from August 2024 through July 2025, in which 158,000 consumers shared more than 3.8 million ratings across more than 3,500 brands. Respondents freely selected the companies they reviewed, and each brand required at least 400 evaluations to qualify.&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/biggbycoffee/info">BIGGBY® COFFEE’s</a> strong placement reflects consistent, positive experiences reported directly by guests across the United States.“This recognition means a lot because it comes straight from our customers,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaylorcpa/">Erin Kaylor</a>, president of BIGGBY® COFFEE. “Every day in our stores, our baristas work to make people feel seen, valued and cared for. Customer service isn’t a department here, it’s our culture. Being named to this list affirms that the moments of connection we focus on are making a real impact.”This is Forbes’ third annual Best Customer Service list, which evaluates companies across industries using criteria tailored to each sector. Restaurants, for example, are evaluated heavily on speed, accuracy and the guest experience, areas in which BIGGBY® COFFEE continues to invest.“We believe people always remember how you make them feel,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikejmcfall/">Mike McFall,</a> CEO of BIGGBY® COFFEE. “From the very beginning, our purpose has been to make the world a better place. When guests walk into a BIGGBY® café, we want them to leave feeling better than when they arrived. Earning this recognition is a reflection of the heart our franchise owners and baristas bring to that mission.”The placement on Forbes’ 2026 Best Customer Service list comes during a period of strong momentum for the brand. BIGGBY® COFFEE recently introduced a refined visual identity, expanded its leadership team and continued to open new locations across the country with a focus on values-aligned, people-first growth. The franchise also remains committed to ethical sourcing and aims to reach 100% Farm-Direct coffee purchasing by 2028.“This honor reinforces what we work toward every day,” Kaylor said. “Great coffee matters, but great connection matters even more. We’re grateful to every guest who took the time to share their experience.”About The BIGGBY® COFFEE FranchiseBIGGBY® COFFEE, headquartered in East Lansing, Michigan, is a national coffee franchise with over 450 locations across 13 states. Since opening its first store in 1995, BIGGBY® has remained 100% franchise-owned and operates under a fully franchised business model designed to help local entrepreneurs grow successful, community-minded businesses.The company is guided by a people-first philosophy and a commitment to values-aligned growth — supporting franchise owners and baristas, creating positive experiences for guests, and partnering with coffee producers who treat people well, respect the environment, and invest in their communities.In 2024, BIGGBY® introduced a refined visual identity anchored by the tagline BIGGBY® Makes it Better, reinforcing the brand’s dedication to consistent quality, human connection and uplifting everyday interactions.For more information on BIGGBY® COFFEE or franchise opportunities, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.biggby.com">www.biggby.com</a>.

BIGGBY® COFFEE Recognized on Forbes’ 2026 Best Customer Service List

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<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/biggbybob/">Bob</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-fish-54ab23188/">Michelle Fish,</a> co-founders of the 450+ unit coffee franchise&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biggbyfranchising.com/">BIGGBY® COFFEE</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.onebiggislandinspace.com/">One Bigg Island in Space (OBIIS)</a>, were recently featured on the podcast&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoXYFCmfPyA">“It Shouldn’t Be This Hard,”</a> where they talked about&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/biggbycoffee">BIGGBY® COFFEE’s</a> push toward regenerative agriculture. During the episode, they explained how direct work with farmers is shaping the company’s sourcing goals, why it matters for the future of coffee and how these efforts are influencing the way they think about building the brand.The episode highlights BIGGBY® COFFEE’s goal to source 100% of its beans through farm-direct, regenerative agriculture by 2028. Through its work with OBIIS, the company is partnering directly with farmers around the world, creating relationships that support soil health, strengthen communities and build long-term resilience in coffee-growing regions facing the realities of climate change.Bob and Michelle describe this approach as “capitalism with boundaries” — the idea that businesses must operate within planetary limits and moral responsibilities. It’s not philanthropy, they explain, but a pathway to survival for companies that rely on global agricultural systems under increasing strain.Throughout the conversation, the Fishes emphasize the role of empathy, storytelling and personal purpose in leading a sustainable brand. They also outline how direct-to-farmer sourcing creates transparency for coffee drinkers, helping them connect more deeply with the people who grow their beans.For BIGGBY® COFFEE, regenerative agriculture isn’t a marketing angle. It’s a long-term business strategy and a core part of its mission to build a company that supports people, protects the planet and inspires others in the industry to rethink what good business can look like.Watch the episode&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoXYFCmfPyA">here</a>.&nbsp;To learn more about franchising with BIGGBY® COFFEE, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biggbyfranchising.com/.">https://www.biggbyfranchising.com/.</a>&nbsp;

“It Shouldn’t Be This Hard” Podcast: BIGGBY Coffee’s Journey to 100% Regenerative Sourcing

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EAST LANSING, Mich. —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biggbyfranchising.com/">BIGGBY® COFFEE</a>, the 450-plus unit high-energy coffee franchise,&nbsp; has officially been named the&nbsp;<a href="https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-coffee-chain/">No. 2 Best Coffee Chain</a> in the United States by&nbsp;<a href="https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-coffee-chain/">USA Today’s10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards</a>. The brand ranked above major national players including Starbucks, Dunkin’, Dutch Bros, Scooter’s and Caribou Coffee.The annual USA Today poll recognizes the most beloved coffee brands across the nation, with nominations and rankings determined by coffee lovers and readers nationwide. BIGGBY® COFFEE’s ranking highlights its growing reputation as a franchise built on connection, community and consistency — not just caffeine.“We’re beyond honored to see&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/biggbycoffee/info">BIGGBY® COFFEE</a> recognized among the top coffee chains in the country — and even more proud that this ranking comes from our guests,” said President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekaylorcpa/">Erin Kaylor</a>. “This isn’t just a win for our brand; it’s a win for every barista, franchise owner and community that has embraced our mission to make the world a better place, one cup at a time.”Since opening its first shop in East Lansing, Michigan, in 1995, BIGGBY® has built its success on simple values: to build communities where people feel connected, valued, uplifted and inspired. The 100% franchise-owned brand continues to expand nationwide while staying rooted in its purpose-driven approach — to create a world where people are energized by purpose, connected by community, and uplifted through everyday interactions.“This recognition validates what our customers and franchise owners already know — BIGGBY® COFFEE is different,” said CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikejmcfall/">Mike McFall</a>. “We’ve never chased trends or corporate metrics. We’ve focused on people, and people are the reason we’re here. We’re grateful to everyone who voted and continues to share in our journey.”BIGGBY® COFFEE’s placement in USA Today’s 10Best list comes during a banner year for the brand, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, introduced a refreshed visual identity under the tagline “BIGGBY® Makes it Better” and continues to open new stores across the country at record pace.About The BIGGBY® COFFEE FranchiseBIGGBY® COFFEE, headquartered in East Lansing, Michigan, is a national coffee franchise with over 450 locations across 13 states. Since opening its first store in 1995, BIGGBY® has remained 100% franchise-owned and operates under a fully franchised business model designed to help local entrepreneurs grow successful, community-minded businesses.The company is guided by a people-first philosophy and a commitment to values-aligned growth — supporting franchise owners and baristas, creating positive experiences for guests, and partnering with coffee producers who treat people well, respect the environment, and invest in their communities.In 2024, BIGGBY® introduced a refined visual identity anchored by the tagline BIGGBY® Makes it Better, reinforcing the brand’s dedication to consistent quality, human connection, and uplifting everyday interactions.For more information on BIGGBY® COFFEE or franchise opportunities, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.biggby.com">www.biggby.com</a>.

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EAST LANSING, Mich. — Just in time for the holidays,&nbsp;<a href="https://biggby.com/">BIGGBY® COFFEE</a>, the 450-plus-unit high-energy coffee franchise, is rolling out its seasonal menu, available November 1 through January 1, 2026.&nbsp;Back by popular demand are peppermint favorites: the scintillating Peppermint Stick Mocha and the Snow Mint Mocha (a white-chocolate twist on the classic). New this year is the Frostbite BIGGBY Blast®, a bold blend of blue raspberry and vanilla topped with sweet foam and boisterous blue sugar sprinkles — an energy drink that makes for the ideal afternoon pick-me-up! And yule love the new Frosted Sugar Cookie Latte. With buttery vanilla and sweet frosting flavors, topped with blue sugar sprinkle magic.&nbsp;The hearty Maple Waffle Sandwich lineup: sausage, bacon, egg and cheese, or customized, is now available through January 1. It’s the perfect breakfast combination of savory and sweet that’s sure to start the workday off right.BIGGBY® is also proud to introduce new seasonal snack offerings, including Double Chocolate Mini-Muffins and a merry array of individually-wrapped sugar cookies featuring festive snowmen, polar bears, snow-covered trees and sparkling snowflakes.On December 4, celebrate National Cookie Day with BIGGBY® with four additional, holiday inspired cookie beverages: Sweet Foam Frosted Sugar Cookie Cold Brew, Thumbprint Cookie Latte, Spice Cookie Latte, and Sweet Foam Scotchie Cookie Cold Brew.And the holiday season keeps getting sweeter, with these special BIGGBY® promotions:&nbsp;<ul><li>Veterans Day - BIGGBY® is proud to honor our veterans, offering veterans any 16 ounce beverage for just $1.99 on November 11.</li><li>Black Friday&nbsp;- On November 28, guests who stop in and make a purchase spending a certain amount will receive a BIGGBY® Black Friday BIGG scratch card with a discount reward.</li><li>12 Days of BIGGBY® - From December 13 through Christmas Eve, BIGGBY® will surprise guests with a limited-time or secret menu item each day between (with Santa delivering a daily discount!).</li></ul>Celebrate the holiday season with caffeinated peppermint classics, cool new drinks, merry food offerings and an array of festive fall and winter promotions as BIGGBY® COFFEE delivers a jolly end to 2025!To find a BIGGBY® COFFEE location near you, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.biggby.com">www.BIGGBY.com</a>.About The BIGGBY® COFFEE FranchiseBIGGBY® COFFEE, headquartered in East Lansing, Michigan, is a national coffee franchise with over 450 locations across 13 states. Since opening its first store in 1995, BIGGBY® has remained 100% franchise-owned and operates under a fully franchised business model designed to help local entrepreneurs grow successful, community-minded businesses.The company is guided by a people-first philosophy and a commitment to values-aligned growth — supporting franchise owners and baristas, creating positive experiences for guests, and partnering with coffee producers who treat people well, respect the environment, and invest in their communities.In 2024, BIGGBY® introduced a refined visual identity anchored by the tagline BIGGBY® Makes it Better, reinforcing the brand’s dedication to consistent quality, human connection, and uplifting everyday interactions.For more information on BIGGBY® COFFEE or franchise opportunities, visit www.biggby.com.To learn more about franchising with BIGGBY® COFFEE, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biggbyfranchising.com/">https://www.biggbyfranchising.com/</a>.

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BIGGBY® COFFEE Announces Promotion of John W. Gilkey to President

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