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Seattle's Best Coffee ramps up drive-thru growth in Dallas market

May 21, 2013

Seattle's Best Coffee, a brand within Starbucks Corporation, has announced the simultaneous opening of 10 drive-thrus throughout Dallas/Fort Worth on Monday.

Seattle's Best is celebrating the openings with a free hot or iced brewed coffee of any size from May 20-26.

"With the opening of 10 new drive-thrus in one day, we're welcoming coffee drinkers from across Dallas/Fort Worth to experience a piece of Seattle in their hometown—it's what we call 'visiting Seattle, TX' —  where the coffee flows fast, friendly and delicious," said Frank Sica, vice president and general manager.

Additionally, Seattle's Best is offering a menu of breakfast sandwiches and value combos. The "dashboard-friendly" options include 12 different combos under $5. The combos offer quick picks: a medium cup of coffee or soft drink paired with a hearty egg sandwich on a biscuit or muffin, stuffed pretzel melt or handheld sweet or savory "Tasty Pies." In addition to mochas and lattes, those looking for a treat can choose from many dessert-inspired specialty coffee drinks such as Birthday Cake Lattes and S'mores Mochas, available hot, iced or frozen.

The 10 new Seattle's Best Coffee drive-thrus are strategically located at busy intersections and outside of popular shopping centers throughout Dallas/Fort Worth.

Dallas/Fort Worth – one of the fastest growing markets in the country – was selected as the first market for the multi-store expansion of Seattle's Best Coffee drive-thru following the launch of the concept in Seattle last fall.

"Our new drive-thrus are designed to create a different kind of coffee culture – one that combines the quality and passion of a coffeehouse with speed, convenience and value," said Sica. "This concept is for coffee drinkers who are purchasing coffee outside of cafes at places such as convenience stores, gas stations and fast food restaurants. This is our opportunity to give time-pressed coffee drinkers a better cup of coffee and a better breakfast."

Using this model, the brand significantly cut its market entry time, reduced initial investment costs and developed locations that previously were not suitable for a traditional sized coffee shop. The 10 locations opening "overnight" on May 20 were built in DeSoto, Texas, before being transported on flatbed trucks to their current locations across Dallas/Fort Worth.

Seattle's Best has four more locations opening in the area in late summer.

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