Dutch Bros Coffee — Restaurant in Chula Vista

I want to start by saying the service here is consistently friendly, and the coffee is truly exceptional—some of the best I’ve ever had. I only drink my coffee black and consider myself a bit of a coffee snob, so that praise doesn’t come lightly.

That said, there are a couple of areas that could really use some attention. First, the pickup process. Even when ordering ahead, I regularly experience a 5–10 minute wait. While the staff does prioritize mobile orders once you arrive, you still have to wait in the same line as customers who are ordering on the spot, which slows things down. A dedicated pickup window or a streamlined process for mobile orders would make a noticeable difference in the guest experience.

More importantly, I’ve noticed a lack of consistency—particularly with something as simple as a large cold brew, black. A few days ago, my drink was filled to the brim, and despite the usual wait, I was happy with it. Today, however, the exact same order was nearly two inches short of the top. When I brought it up, the barista mentioned something about a “cold pour,” which I wasn’t familiar with. Regardless, the issue isn’t the terminology—it’s the clear inconsistency in how drinks are being served.

As someone who previously managed multiple coffee shops in Hawaii and has worked in restaurant leadership for years, I know how these cups are designed. A significant portion of the total volume is in the top couple inches of the cup. So when it’s not filled, I know for a fact that I’m receiving noticeably less product—yet still paying full price. That kind of inconsistency reflects poorly on the brand and diminishes the overall value for the customer.

I truly enjoy the coffee and the vibe here, and I want to keep coming back. But consistency and attention to detail—especially with basic drinks—should be a top priority. I hope this feedback is taken constructively, because the potential is...

I waited months after opening to see if the line would die down but it hasn’t. However, I was only waiting because I had a birthday drink that was going to expire, so I thought why not. I did a mobile order so that way I had time to do other things before heading up to pick up window. My estimated time for pick up was 30 min… I didn’t get my drink until approximately an hour later.

I’ve experienced another new opening of Dutch bros in the past on the East coast, and it was not this disorganized as this location. No clear line for the pick up window. People didn’t know where to stand or line up if they wanted to order at the window. I know the girl at the window was trying her best, but it looked like she didn’t know when to call out the drinks that have been sitting back there for a while (I was watching closely because i kept checking if one of the baristas brought my drink to her). I had to walk up to the window twice to check on my drink. I ended up being a little impatient because there was another lady who ordered with the barista at the same time as my expected pick up time… she ended up getting her drink first. Ordering ahead on the app doesn’t matter.

Just a little advice, probably stay away from this location still until they know how to handle big wait times. I know at another location I’ve experienced before, if there was a long wait already, they would disable the order ahead on the app so that way they could minimize craziness of the crowds. Maybe they should...

My Saturday morning took a turn for the worse thanks to a frustrating experience at the pick-up counter. We were initially in the drive-thru but decided to hop out and join the line, thinking it would be quicker to pick up our order in line. Little did we know, after waiting for a hefty 20-30 minutes, the cashier informed me that I couldn't pick up my order at the counter and it was strictly drive-thru only, due to their rules and policies.

I asked her if there was any way to make an exception, especially after my long wait. She offered i want to speak to her manager, who, unfortunately, said the same policy. I get that they want to stick to the rules, and I appreciate how calmly they handled my frustration. However, it was incredibly disappointing not to receive any flexibility in this situation.

The drive-thru pick-up option in the app just doesn’t make sense to me. Most places encourage customers to collect their orders promptly, yet there I was, stuck in line for 30-45 minutes without a clear rationale. It’s beyond frustrating, and this whole ordeal truly put a damper on my...