The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has added a new airport café at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport as it continues to expand into airports and other nontraditional spaces nationwide. Since opening in Terminal D in November 2025, the café has seen an encouraging response from both existing fans of the brand and new guests.

“This location has done very well. Terminal D is international, so it’s visible to people from all over the country and beyond,” said Macy Farr, project manager at Star Concessions, the group that operates the DFW café. “The performance is particularly notable because we’re close to two other coffee concepts, and I think one of the reasons we’ve done so well is because it’s a beautiful, well-lit space. It’s almost a spectacle. It’s maintained strong traffic, especially in the mornings.”

Inside the new DFW café

Airport travelers are already seeking coffee, tea and quick bites, but bringing The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to DFW was even more impactful due to the brand’s unique market position.

“People on the West Coast love Coffee Bean, and they’re excited to see it elsewhere,” Farr said. “But for a guest who has never had it before, it’s a fun novelty to try as part of the travel experience.”

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has consistently prioritized nontraditional spaces for growth, giving local operators more real estate flexibility while expanding into places where guests are already looking for convenient food and beverage options. In airports, cafés are visible both to international travelers who already love the brand and new guests who turn into fans after experiencing the quality authenticity of the Coffee Bean experience.

Bambuza Hospitality Group has operated Coffee Bean locations in the Santa Ana and Salt Lake City airports for years, giving a good sense of what airport growth can look like when an operator stays closely aligned with the brand.

“We’re strong airport operators who believe in providing what our partners need and being a great fit,” said Erin Frank, director of brand growth and communications for Bambuza. “In some airports, it’s very important that we have a locally recognized brand that people are familiar with. For airports in larger hubs for multi-regional and international travelers, you don’t have to rely as much on people being familiar with the brand. In fact, it can be a real treat for people who have moved for life or work to see a beloved brand in a new area. It’s like a familiar face at the airport.”

Bambuza’s airport operations recently earned national recognition. At the Airport Experience Conference, the company won Best Local Concessions Management Team in the medium/small airports category for its work at John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

From strong early traffic at DFW to national recognition for longstanding operators, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf consistently sees strong performance in airport locations. To build on this momentum, the brand is focused on continued expansion in airports, targeting multiple RFP’s in the next three years across the country.

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/the-coffee-bean-and-tea-leaf/info.