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.”

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Burger News

Northeast burger chain Slap Burger set to smash in Richardson

Slap Burger

Smash burger from Slap Burger, coming to DFW.

A buzzy burger concept from the Northeast is coming to Texas: Called Slap Burger, it's a small smash burger chain based in New Jersey, and it's opening its first Texas location in Richardson, at 888 S. Greenville Ave., in a center called the Arabian Village, taking over a space that was previously occupied by a CBD shop.

Slap Burger was founded in Paterson, New Jersey as a smash burger joint that adheres to the principles of halal, including using meat from halal purveyors and avoiding certain ingredients such as pork. (Their bacon and hot dogs are made from beef.) Halal has been increasing in popularity, due to both a growing Muslim population as well as a rising demand for "ethical" clean-label food.

Slap now has five locations in the Northeast — two in NJ and three in NY — as well as an expansion to Tampa, Florida.

They specialize in smash burgers, loaded hot chicken tenders, and cheese fries topped with slap sauce. They make a decadent banana pudding dessert, and they also keep late-night hours.

Their burgers are four ounces, featuring the lacy and crispy edges that are a signifier of a smash burger, topped with caramelized onions, American cheese, and pickle on Martin's potato buns, which they toast on the outside, leaving the inside of the bun soft.

They do two other burger styles: the Slap’N Melt, which features cheese stuffed into a beef patty, then seared so the exterior is hard and the interior is melting cheese; and the Slap N Jack, a double patty burger with caramelized onions, mushrooms, and pepperjack cheese.

Other menu options include hot dogs, as well as fried chicken in a number of ways: as a sandwich with pickles and cole slaw on a griddled bun; as tenders; in a loaded platter over choice of mac & cheese or fries; or chicken & waffles, with choice of an Oreo or Fruity Pebbles waffle.

Alcohol is not allowed at a halal restaurant, but Slaps has house-made lemonade in a variety of flavors such as dragonfruit, strawberry, orange Curacao, and mango.

Shepherding the concept to DFW is Adam Shawish, the enterprising owner of Arabian Village, who is transforming the center into an exciting foodie destination with businesses such as Arwa Coffee, recognized as the first Yemeni-style coffee shop in DFW.

Shawish was inspired after visiting Slap Burger while on a trip to the Northeast, seeking interesting concepts that might make a good fit at the center.

"One night, my wife and I had already had dinner, but I was determined to try it and they were open late," Shawish says. "I fell in love with it on the first bite. Texas has a lot of burgers, but I said, 'This is my type of hamburger.' It's very simple, not mixed with anything, the buns are not too soggy — just a pure burger experience, not like anything else in Dallas-Fort Worth."

Shawish says that construction is underway and they hope to get it open by Christmas.

"My office is right next door," he says. "Every time I get ready to go home for the day, I ask the kids what they want for dinner, and I can't wait for Slap Burger to open so that I won't have to ask."

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