7 Brew bets on budget-friendly drive-thru coffee to crowd coffee deserts
Arkansas-based 7 Brew is rapidly expanding its drive-thru coffee chain, now with more than 700 locations across 38 states and about 340 more planned, aiming to surpass 1,000 sites within a year. The chain targets towns with little coffee competition, pricing drinks around $5 to undercut Starbucks and Dunkin, and offering thousands of drink combinations with a straightforward loyalty program. Sales jumped from about $502 million in 2024 to nearly $1.2 billion last year, backed by Blackstone and Franchise Equity Partners. As it scales, 7 Brew faces the challenge of maintaining the “third space” cafe experience and consistent quality while competing with larger chains and staying true to its fast, low-cost model.