A drive-thru coffee chain continues to branch out across the Southeast, brewing up several more locations in Georgia.
Eight drive-thru and walk-up locations of Minnesota-based Caribou Coffee are expected to open this spring and summer across the Peach State. Locations are in the works in Smyrna, Woodstock, Snellville, Athens and Augusta. The Smyrna one is expected to open soon, in May 2025. The others could be open in June.
As previously reported by What Now Atlanta, Caribou Coffee is also coming to Lawrenceville, Griffin and Covington. All the new shops are company-owned, but Caribou Coffee does have some franchised locations.
Many of these new locations are part of a strategy of taking over spaces formerly occupied by fast-food restaurants. The company said this strategy of reusing and remodeling existing commercial spaces is part of a “commitment to build and grow responsibly.”
Caribou Coffee was founded in Minnesota in 1992. The menu includes a lineup of hot and iced espresso beverages, tea, energy drinks, and food items like breakfast and lunch sandwiches, bagels and pastries.
Caribou Coffee first opened in Georgia in 1995. The new locations in development follow on the heels of four store openings in the state in 2024. Other development last year included four new stores in North Carolina and two in Florida.
“We grow our footprint of coffeehouses and drive-thrus with two smart, strategic considerations. First, for the benefit to the local community and then the business opportunity for our brand,” Caribou Coffee Chief Development Officer Matthew Walls said in a statement. “Georgia offers a great deal of both. Our nine current locations across Georgia continue to outperform and guests love the Caribou brand. These new locations will start opening by spring with the potential of more to come.”
As of the end of 2024, Caribou Coffee had 335 company-owned, 140 non-traditional, and 361 franchised locations in 11 countries.
The company is part of Panera Brands.
