Black Rifle Coffee Company — Restaurant in Killeen

Please do not take this too severely. It is meant to be constructive. I love the Black Rifle business model and want to continue as a patron.

First of all, the barista was hustling. She was doing her best and working very hard. This criticism is not directed at the individual working the drive through.

I have been delayed in the drive through multiple times, and I just want to provide some honest and helpful feedback. The little things matter and long term success depends on paying attention to them.

Here is the specific issue. As much as I am drawn to BR because of shared values that is not the essence of the customer relationship. Your bottom line and mine are all about being able to get a cup of coffee & sandwich quick…fast…and in a hurry.

Today is Friday and as a Catholic I abstain from meat. I asked for a sandwich at the drive through that met that requirement, and received an affirmative response. The yes did not, however, come with a follow on telling me how long it would take to prepare.

I have no idea how many minutes passed, but it was way too long. I left after paying, receiving coffee, and being told to continue waiting for the sandwich. There was a car behind me and I decided to leave without the food.

I proceeded to drive down the street to Starbucks and placed an order for a sandwich. It was paid for and produced in less than ninety seconds.

That is the standard. You have got to be able to get from order to completion at the window in well under two minutes.

If there is preparation that is going to take longer than tell the customer to come inside and wait. I would have been happy to do so…but I will not sit idling in my car…smelling exhaust fumes…and embarrassingly holding up the line.

If you want to beat the competition then you must do better with...

BRCC as a brand: it's Starbucks for BroVets, and I've given up pretending I don't fall into that category. I like the atmosphere, whether I want to admit it or not.

However, if BRCC corporate ever sees this, I do miss the independence from the corporate world BRCC once had. The employee, doing his job, had to recite some sort of line about my drink, "landing in the Drop Zone." I've worked for corporate companies, and this tells me someone has gotten their greasy paws all over the creativity that made BRCC special to begin with. Don't lose sight of what gave you your customer base to begin with: Sticking it to conventional attitudes and beliefs about what customers want and expect. When we go to a store that isn't the competition, it's because we're looking for an experience that isn't the competition. If I was wanting cheesy lines and false friendliness, I'd go to Starbucks.

The Individual location: On the same token, the staff was friendly, and the service was great! Granted, I was the only one at the counter, but the two staff on shift on the morning of Janurary 5 at 7:30 (I didn't catch their names, which makes me a punk) were both attentive and ready to help. When I ordered a drink that was no longer on the menu, they offered to make something similar. I declined, but not because of the staff. Let me iterate again, the staff was great. Whoever at a level higher that sees this should ensure they give credit due to their staff at this location. As previously mentioned, the line about the coffee being ready was annoying, but that's NOT the staff's fault. That had corporate mandate written all over it. Maybe it's just me, but just tell me my...

I swung through the drive-thru at Black Rifle Coffee in Killeen and left pretty impressed. The service was quick and friendly—staff greeted me with energy even though it was early in the morning. The menu boards are easy to read, and the line moved fast, which I appreciated since this spot can get busy.

The coffee itself is the highlight here. I ordered a hot medium roast and it was everything I wanted—rich, strong, and smooth without being bitter. It has that bold flavor that actually tastes like coffee and not watered-down syrup, which makes it stand out compared to some of the bigger chains. If you’re after a caffeine kick that delivers, this is the place.

On the flip side, the food doesn’t quite match the coffee. I grabbed a breakfast sandwich out of curiosity, and like many other coffee shops, it was clearly microwaved. Not terrible, but nothing to write home about—more of a backup option if you’re starving and need something quick to go with your drink.

What I did like, though, was the atmosphere, even just from the drive-thru. The military-inspired branding is everywhere, and it gives off a unique vibe that feels different from the cookie-cutter coffee shops we’re used to. You can tell they put pride into their identity and product.

All in all, the coffee here makes it worth coming back, whether you go inside or stick to the drive-thru. Skip the sandwiches, grab a bold brew, and you’ll...