GROUNDS FOR CELEBRATION

West Coast coffee drive-thru brews early plans for expansion into Dallas-Fort Worth

Dutch Bros Coffee College Station location

Dutch Bros Coffee's new College Station location is its first in Texas, with the company planning 100 Texas locations in coming years.

Courtesy of Dutch Bros Coffee.

The largest privately held drive-thru coffee company in the nation plans to open its first locations throughout Texas, including Dallas-Fort Worth.

Oregon-based Dutch Bros Coffee was founded in 1992 and now has more than 400 locations throughout the West and Southwest. On January 8, it opened its first Texas location in College Station, also breaking ground that same day on its second location in the state, in nearby Bryan. Those two java shops are the first of many more to come, with Dutch Bros confirming the company has plans to open 26 new drive-thru spots in Texas this year, and projects to have 100 locations open in the Lone Star State in the next couple years.

“Our plans for expansion in Texas for just 2021 include about 11 locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, seven in the Austin area, three in Central Texas, and five in and around Houston,” says Aaron Harris, vice president of development for Dutch Bros. “We plan to keep adding to the state and each of these areas throughout the next few years, with hopes of around 100 locations by the end of 2023.”

While all new Dutch Bros shops are company-owned, they are run locally by regional operators who began with the company as “broistas,” Harris says.

Known for its customizable coffees (including vegan options), its handcrafted proprietary coffee blend, smoothies, freezes, teas, and specialty drinks like nitrogen-infused cold brew and its private-label Blue Rebel energy drink, Dutch Bros has been executing its ambitious growth plans, opening 70 new locations in 2020 alone. But the College Station shop marks the company’s easternmost location — for now.

Dutch Bros chose College Station for its Texas rollout, in part, Harris says, because of its proximity to Texas A&M University and the likelihood that the brand could start off strong there. In fact, with its cult-like following of caffeine fanatics, Dutch Bros served 1,869 cars on opening day, which the company says amounts to about 104 cars an hour and 1.7 cars a minute.

“Texas is a great climate for our products. There’s rapid population growth and economic development,” Harris says. “Being part of the community is huge for Dutch Bros, and since Texas is known as The Friendly State, our values align with the culture. We’ve received such a warm welcome and can’t wait to continue our growth into Texas.”

openings breakfast coffee

School Cafeteria News

Unusual new restaurant in Lewisville summons Korean school cafeteria

Andrea Young/AsianGrub in DFDUB

F&F on the Go

An adorable restaurant that serves up a Korean school lunch has opened in Lewisville: Called F&F On The Go, it's at 2405 S. Stemmons Fwy. #201, on the second floor of Korean specialty Zion Market, where it specializes in Geupshik — a Korean custom that refers to the homestyle lunch meals provided by schools or companies.

At F&F, you get a pre-set meal, served in a stainless steel tray with compartments for the different courses. You make two choices: black or white rice and your protein, from choices such as Beef Bulgogi, Spicy Pork, Teriyaki Chicken, Spicy Squid, and Salmon Steak.

Everey meal comes with the banchan, or Korean side dishes, which the restaurant rotates daily — there's usually a salad and kim chi — plus a classic Japanese yogurt drink called “Yakult."

For $14.99, you get an authentic, yet approachable taste of Korean comfort food, says co-founder Eric Song.

“It’s a unique concept in DFW that blends Korean and Japanese flavors with a nostalgic touch,” Song says.

F&F On The Go is part of the growing Fast and Furious brand, which launched in Irving in 2013, where Song is head of operations and brand development. Their first concept was F&F Japanese Grill, a fast-casual hibachi restaurant featuring Korean and Japanese fusion cuisine which now has locations in Addison, Plano, Frisco, and Greenville Avenue.

In 2016, they expanded with a food truck, F&F Express, which makes K-style bowls.

With F&F On The Go, Song wanted to create a casual, but high-quality dining experience inspired by the nostalgic Korean school lunch style.

The presentation was designed to bring a touch of nostalgia, yet be appealing to diners unfamiliar with the style or dishes. The counter and seating area have a clean finish while capturing the essence of a Korean school cafeteria. The word “Geupshik” (급식) in Korean literally means "school meal" or "lunch service."

The restaurant is in a multicultural area north of the Sam Rayburn Tollway in Lewisville — surrounded by sushi restaurants and Korean street food stores.

“We chose the location based on strong community presence and growing demand for Asian comfort food in the area,” Song says.

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