The Top 8 Drive-Thru Coffee Franchise Opportunities

Almost 75% of Americans drink coffee daily. 

The most popular way to get one’s daily caffeine fix is by brewing coffee at home. But now that people have returned to in-person work and school, many are finding they just don’t have enough time, especially in the morning. As a result, drive-thrus have become the top choice for folks looking for a fast jolt of caffeine without getting out of their car.

The World Coffee Portal’s Project Café USA 2024 found that 24% of American coffee lovers had gone through a drive-thru for their most recent coffee shop visit.  Over half of those surveyed preferred the drive-thru option over walking into a coffee shop. 

After all, when the pandemic forced Americans to maintain physical distance, drive-thrus became the de facto choice for most consumers.  Drive-thru traffic rose 30 percent from 2019 to 2022, according to Revenue Management Solutions. 

To meet the increased demand, many coffee franchisors offer drive-thru-only or drive-thru-plus-cafe options. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, here are some of the best coffee franchises with drive-thru options to consider:

Dunkin’

• Initial Investment: $437,500 - $1,809,500
• Units with Drive-Thrus: 6,000+

Dunkin’ is the largest drive-thru coffee operator in the United States. Dunkin’s support to franchisees includes assistance from an experienced real estate team to help find locations that already have an existing drive-thru structure from a recently shuttered business or new locations. Dunkin’ also offers franchisees help from construction experts who can help them build a new drive-thru. 

BIGGBY® COFFEE

• Initial Investment: $328,000 - $591,000
• Units: 350+

BIGGBY® COFFEE’s franchise sales team works with operators to find the best locations. Other teams work with operators to navigate local building requirements. Drive-thru-only models only need 400 to 800 square feet and a half acre of land. These units can be installed in about six hours. The best part?  If the location doesn’t work out, franchisees can easily move the structure to a new location.  

The Human Bean

• Initial Investment: $562,390 - $1,290,931
• Unit Count: 260+

The Human Bean, a leading drive-thru coffee franchise, is popular for franchisees because it doesn’t charge royalty fees. The brand’s real estate team helps operators find locations that can serve at least 15,000 cars per day. Layouts for stores include stand-alone single and double-sided drive-thrus. 

PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans

• Initial Investment: $459,000 - $1,152,000
• Unit Count: 180+

PJ’s Coffee is renowned for spreading New Orleans culture across the nation. Its drive-thrus offer handcrafted coffee in addition to Louisiana treats like beignets. PJ's boasts that its drive-thru locations average over 50% more revenue than locations without.

Scooter’s Coffee

• Initial Investment: $894,500 - $1,393,000
• Unit Count: 800 +

Nebraska-based Scooter’s Coffee is the second largest drive-thru-only coffee operator in the United States. Its drive-thru-only modules are geared towards people who don’t want to “scoot” out of their cars to “scoot” some coffee into their bodies. Scooter’s offers kiosk models, which require less staff, and endcap units, which allow more room for signage. 

Cabin Coffee Co.

• Initial Investment: $350,000 - $2,000,000
• Unit Count: 20+

A small franchise by design, Cabin Coffee appeals to customers who want high quality coffee in mom-and-pop-style atmospheres. Models range from 2,000-plus-square-foot units with indoor seating to 600-square-foot drive-thrus. Cabin Coffee also offers designs for entrepreneurs who want to remodel existing structures like banks and gas stations. 

Ziggi’s Coffee

• Initial Investment: $467,000 - $2,000,000
• Unit Count: 340+

Recently ranked on the 2023 Entrepreneur Magazine Franchise 500®, Ziggi’s Coffee has grown rapidly since its 2004 start. Ziggi’s remains competitive with big names like Starbucks by offering seasonal winter holiday drinks like the Candy Cane Crunch and summertime s’more-flavored beverages. 

Aroma Joe’s

• Initial Investment: $586,599 - $1,859,492.
• Unit Count: 100+

Aroma Joe’s is a New Hampshire-based chain that recently took third place for best drive-thru coffee in USA Today’s 2024 Best of Coffee Awards. The company is currently developing cost-efficient units made with prefabricated panels that will reduce startup costs for new operators and speed up construction.  

Every great franchisee had help buying a franchise. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisees find the right franchise opportunity? Visit www.1851growthclub.com and start your journey.