The Coffee Chain That's Redefining Friendly Service
Starbucks is a ubiquitous part of the national landscape at this point, and Dunkin' is what America (excluding a few left-out states) runs on, but there's another coffee chain climbing the ranks that you might have never seen coming — and that's Dutch Bros. The chain, which has grown to include around 900 locations scattered across 17 states, is making a name for itself not so much due to what it's selling, but how it's selling it, specifically its exceptional customer service.
Giving Trader Joe's — with its famously chipper and empathetic "crew" of staff — a run for its money, the noticeable (and some might say even excessively friendly) service of Dutch Bros is taking TikTok by storm. It's become something of a trend to share or lovingly mock experiences with the chain's extremely chatty, accommodating, and thoughtful staff — sometimes to hilarious ends (think drive-thru staff practically leaning fully into cars to take orders).
@tyler.benderr Dutch bros customer service is unmatched 🥵 my order is an iced almond milk latte with banana syrup, hby? #dutchbroscoffee #dutchbrosdrinks #broistalife
If you've never been to a Dutch Bros store or drive-thru, which offers a varied menu of hot and cold coffee, lattes, cappuccinos, teas, creamy milkshakes, smoothies, and the like, this might be breaking news to you. But if you know, you know — Dutch Bros' customer service simply can't be matched.
This approach is no accident, but a key to the business
This oversized emphasis on customer service isn't a fluke or dependent on which location or staff member you visit. At Dutch Bros, it's a critical and very intentional part of the brand ethos, and a skillset employees are trained up on from day one.
According to current and past employees, some of whom have taken to the TikTok video comments to spill the tea, team members at the coffee shops are trained to be chatty, friendly, and conversational with their customers, serving up positive energy as strong as the chain's caffeinated drinks. In an interview, the CEO of Dutch Bros, Christine Barone, took to CNBC to discuss the company's very strong performance, Barone made it a point to call out the chain's focus on customer service as a major contributing factor to this success. She mentioned that training employees on Dutch Bros' signature customer service style is a focal point whenever it expands into a new market.
This emphasis is far from a recent tactic or gimmick, in case you were skeptical, but has been an intrinsic part of the company's mission since day one. It started with the original "Dutch bros," brothers Dane and Travis Boersma, who launched the first store in 1992. The duo made it a focus to get to know their customers' names, ask them questions about their lives, and not just sell coffee, but build relations with each cup — a commitment that's clearly alive and well today.