Affordable luxuries like coffee often perform well during times of rising prices and tighter budgets. That trend continued in early 2025, with overall visits to coffee chains increasing by 1.8% year-over-year (YoY) in the first quarter.
Much of this growth came from the rapid expansion of smaller and mid-sized coffee chains. Dutch Bros saw a 13.4% YoY increase in visits during Q1 2025. Scooter’s Coffee grew by 15.3%, and 7 Brew Coffee saw a major surge with an 87.3% jump in traffic.
Meanwhile, larger players like Starbucks and Dunkin’ saw only slight declines. Starbucks visits fell by 0.9% and Dunkin’ visits dropped by 1.6%, numbers that closely match the overall quick-service restaurant (QSR) sector’s 1.6% YoY visit decline.
The stronger performance of smaller chains compared to the slight dips at Starbucks and Dunkin’ suggests a shift in consumer behavior. Shoppers seem more willing to spend their limited budgets on unique or more indulgent coffee experiences rather than sticking with familiar classic options.
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