The 7 Fastest-Growing Coffee Chains Right Now
Coffee chains have enjoyed sustainable growth in recent years, driven by java lovers' demand for convenient, high-quality coffee. In 2022, the coffee shop market in the U.S. exceeded $48 billion, according to Statista, and the market is expected to grow as new players enter the market.
In recent years, coffee behemoths and small but mighty regional shops have expanded their footprints to capture a piece of the growing coffee market. Like restaurants, coffee chains continuously grow to reach new customers in new markets.
Coffee chains nationwide have already announced new store openings for 2024 and beyond. Some chains, in particular, are opening new stores incredibly quickly, making them coffee chains to watch. Here, we rounded up nine of the fastest-growing coffee chains right now. Who knows, maybe one of these fast-growing coffee chains will come to your city next?
Starbucks
Starbucks is already the biggest coffee chain in the world, and it's showing no signs of slowing down. At the end of 2023, Starbucks announced a plan to open 17,000 more locations by 2030, bringing its worldwide total to 55,000. The mega coffee chain consistently ranks as the number one coffee chain globally, generating 10 times more revenue than its closest competitor, U.K.-based Costa Coffee.
Don't be surprised to see even more Starbucks restaurants pop up in your state. In 2024, Starbucks plans 4% new store growth in the U.S. alone, which translates to around 650 locations.
Black Rock Coffee Bar
Since opening its first shop in 2008 in Portland, Ore., Black Rock Coffee Bar has steadily expanded its store footprint. Currently, the chain is focusing on increasing its footprint in the West. Earlier this month, Black Rock opened its fourth store in San Antonio and 32nd in Texas overall. And there are more stores in the works.
"We have more exciting store openings on the horizon, so stay tuned," Mark Davis, CEO of Black Rock Coffee Bar, said in a press release. The boutique coffee shop—known for its coffee, teas, smoothies, and energy drinks—now has more than 130 stores in seven states: Oregon, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Texas, and Washington.
In 2021, the Portland Business Journal named Black Rock the fastest-growing private company in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Last year, it ranked among America's top 5,000 fastest-growing private companies, according to Inc. Magazine. A coffee chain to watch? Most certainly.
Tim Hortons
This Canadian coffee purveyor boasts a huge footprint in its home country, with more than 4,000 locations coast to coast. The chain has been breaking into the U.S. market. There are more than 630 Tim Hortons restaurants stateside, and the chain plans to reach 1,000 in the next four years.
Restaurant Brands International—the parent company of Popeyes, Burger King, Tim Hortons, and Firehouse Subs—noted in February that Tim Hortons' U.S. business was "expected to be the largest contributor of net restaurant growth in its home markets." That's a lot of coffee and doughnuts.
A representative with the company previously told Eat This, Not That! that the coffee chain ended 2023 with its largest number of U.S. restaurant openings in more than five years. Tim's is growing in Texas, and the chain opened its first location in Georgia last year. It's increasing its footprint quickly: the chain is expected to open more coffee shops in new markets, including Tennessee, Missouri, Delaware, and New Jersey.
PJ's Coffee of New Orleans
This Louisiana-based coffee chain is moving quickly: It plans to open more than 40 locations in 2024. In 2023, the coffee chain opened 28 new stores in states like Iowa, Florida, New Jersey, Mississippi, and Texas. PJ's Coffee of New Orleans serves all kinds of coffeehouse goods, like lattes, frozen drinks, sandwiches, and pastries. The chain is primarily based in the South, but PJ's is growing fast.
In less than six years, PJ's doubled its total store count when it opened its 175th location in Pensacola, Fla., in August 2023. All this growth has attracted a new customer base: in December 2023, QSR Magazine reported that visits were 91.6% higher compared to 2019.
Dutch Bros Coffee
Oregon-based Dutch Bros Coffee is among the fastest-growing brands in the quick-service beverage industry. Last year, Dutch Bros opened a whopping 159 new stores, and nearly a quarter of those were opened in the fourth quarter. Dutch Bros is known for its drive-thru conveniences and flavorful drink combinations, including Dutch-inspired shakes and blended espressos.
With 800 locations across 17 states, Dutch Bros is opening stores at a breathtaking pace and shows no signs of slowing. The once-regional chain plans to open between 150 and 165 new stores in 2024, bringing the total store count close to the 1,000-store milestone. In the long term, Dutch Bros plans to open 4,000 cafes over the next 10 to 15 years.
Bluestone Lane
By the end of this year, Bluestone Lane, the Aussie-inspired coffee shop, will add up to 15 new shops, bringing its total store count to 80. The first store opened in 2013 in New York City, and since then, shops have been mainly clustered in core urban areas. However, the chain has recently pushed into suburban commuter towns outside nine major metropolitan areas, including New York, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, and Houston. New stores will continue to pop up in these suburban markets, with shops set to open in New Jersey, Northern California, and the greater Houston area.
This fast-growing chain brings Australian café culture to the U.S., notably serving excellent flat whites and ethically sourced, sustainably packaged coffee. There are more than 55 Bluestone Lane locations in the U.S., and the company is also looking at expansion in the Washington, D.C., area and opening its first-ever cafes in Texas by the end of 2024.
Ziggi's Coffee
Opened in 2004, Ziggi's Coffee is expanding beyond its first shop in Longmont, Colo. The drive-thru-focused coffee chain started franchising in 2016, and now, it has 75 stores in 16 states. Last year was good for fast-growing Ziggi's. It opened 17 new stores across the U.S. and entered Indiana, South Dakota, and North Carolina.
"The locations in these states not only broaden our geographical reach, but also allow us to introduce our unique experience to even more coffee, tea and energy drink enthusiasts," the company said in a blog post.
For the fourth year, Ziggi's ranked among America's 5,000 fastest-growing private companies, according to Inc. Magazine. And 2024 is likely to be another extraordinary one for Ziggi's. More than 150 new shops are in development, representing a whopping 346% three-year growth.
Sign up for our newsletter! 
