Who Are The Big Four Coffee Shop Retailers in the US?
The top four national coffee shop chains, according to their national sales numbers, are Starbucks, Caribou Coffee, Tim Horton’s and lastly Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. And of course we all know them well! In accordance with the latest data, Starbucks has over 8,000 locations in the United States, Caribou Coffee – 322, Tim Horton’s – 292 and last, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf with 213 locations.
This shows how gigantic Starbucks really is, especially if we take into consideration the fact that Seattle’s Best, that has 160 locations in the United States, is actually a Starbuck’s subsidiary. Other significant chains that didn’t make it into the top four are Coffee Beanery, the already mentioned Seattle’s Best, Port City Java, Tully’s, Dunn Coffee, and Peet’s – and the list could go on forever with the many regional coffee retailers that are popping up everywhere.
It was 1971 when the first Starbucks opened its doors. Back then Starbucks was a single shop situated in Pike Place Market in Seattle and it offered some of the world’s finest coffees, especially fresh roasted whole bean coffees. If you were to ask a Starbucks employee what their company mission is here is the answer you will likely receive: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time. So if you are in need of a quality cup you could easily find a Starbucks close to where you are right now. Starbucks currently has over 15,000 retail shops in 50 countries across the world. It would be highly unlikely for your town or area not to have a neighborhood Starbucks shop where java lovers can gather and enjoy their favorite drink. As a true testament to Starbucks success they as a company have become the world’s leading roaster of premium specialty beans!
Caribou Coffee has grown to the point of having retail shops spread out amongst 15 states, primarily in the mid-west and eastern parts of the country. Since 1990 Caribou has been serving their loyal patrons premium coffee drinks which has created a significant loyal customer base. They say they do not talk about their mission or vision because that is just corporate talk. The goal of the employees at Caribou Coffee is to create an extraordinary experience that feeds the soul each and every time a customer enters one of their retail shops.
If you would like to have donuts with your coffee Tim Horton’s is the place to be. With locations throughout the United States and Canada there is sure to be a Tim Horton’s shop near by. The company opened their doors for business back in 1964 thus making them almost 48 years old as a retailer. They are primarily focused on serving their customers with top quality coffee and offering daily fresh products that satisfy their loyal customers.
A family business, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf specializes in selling coffee beans/coffee products, rare teas and accessories tailored for both the tea and coffee drinker. Due to their commitment to quality Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has been open for business for nearly 50 years, first opening their doors way back in 1963. Pretty impressive isn’t it! Their success is due to their dedication to serving their community and providing a lifestyle quality experience for each patron who enters their establishments.
No matter which of the above mentioned chains serves your favorite coffee, there is one thing that all roasters and java fans have in common – passion. Whether Starbucks is your favorite retailer or Tim Horton’s you cannot go wrong by visiting either of these shops in your pursuit of the perfect cup. I am fairly certain one of the above mentioned four retailers will be just around the corner from your home or office. Enjoy that premium cup of joe you’re about to drink!