We tried Tampa's first Dutch Bros. Here's what to expect (hint: traffic)
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo: Yacob Reyes/Axios
👋 Yacob here. Tampa got its first Dutch Bros over the weekend. The result: a clogged street, a line of cars and more sugar than anyone needs.
Why it matters: South Tampa's roads are narrow, uneven and cracked, and now with Dutch Bros and its fans and its lines, they're chaos with a caramel drizzle.
- But hey, the coffee's good.
Zoom in: I made my pilgrimage to the Oregon-based coffee chain Wednesday at 10:30am.
- An employee with a bright vest and a walkie-talkie waved me out of the drive-thru line and into an overflow lot beside a church. I waited there until 11.
- One employee told me South Tampa's Dutch Bros averages 130 customers an hour. Another said the number climbs past 150 during the peak, between noon and 3pm.
- When I commented on the wait, they said, "This is slow." I made it out of the drive-thru at 11:30am.
State of Sip: I ordered the iced Caramelizer, because an employee recommended it, and the iced Poppin' Boba Fire Lizard Rebel, to see what kind of person would. Put together, I drank 800 liquid calories.
- The Caramelizer seems to be made for someone who doesn't like the taste of coffee — lots of milk and lots of sugar. The iced Poppin' Boba Fire Lizard Rebel tastes like melted Skittles.
Pro-tips: Order a small, don't drink two.
💠Our thought bubble, via Axios Portland's Meira Gebel: Born and raised in southern Oregon more than 30 years ago, Dutch Bros has been on a rapid franchise expansion kick since the company went public in 2021.
- It's hellbent on getting the rest of America hyped on its signature, colorful and highly-caffeinated beverages — with flavor names like Unicorn Blood, Vampire Slayer and Shark Attack — the Pacific Northwest has come to love.
What we're watching: Dutch Bros is headed to Riverview next.