Dutch Bros Coffee — Restaurant in Tempe

As nothing short of a Starbucks connoisseur, it has been difficult to keep the excitability of its menu alive. Insert: Dutch Bros Coffee. A Western chain, specializing & competing with Starbucks on a smaller, more regional scale. 'Competing'- a word used to describe Tempe's location which in turn, is left open for interpretation. Specializing in artesian lattes, coffees & other novelty drinks. Tempe's location doesn't quite live up to the standard of Starbucks in several aspects. Let me tell you why...

Dutch Bros may succeed in taste, flavor profiles & availability in terms of offerings. Insert; lavender cold brew, cold foam. However, price point & service leave much open for interpretation. Price points surpass that of Starbucks which tells you everything that you need to understand. Thought your caffe latte at Starbucks was on the steep end? Add +$2 to that amount at Dutch Bros's for same-size item. Again, very steep prices starting at $8+ and going upwards for a standard/large 16oz artesian. One can only infer that these reflect Western price points but worth noting given that Starbucks Tempe's locations' price points remain fixed at relatively national & steady rates.

That lavender latte? Phenomenal- worth every penny. You're paying for the artesian element of drinks at Dutch Bro's chain. Who makes a concerted effort to rotate its menu, providing seasonal offerings as well as fixed year-round items. If you can imagine cold brew cold foam with lavender & garnished with lavender leaves I will leave that to your imagination. Dutch Bro's was successfully able to convince me to take my business to their location due to the sheer rotation & excitability of its menu. As someone who actively seeks novelty items on menu lists, my lavender cold foam took the cake in every sense...

Asked for a drink with half and half flavors not blended together. When I came up to the counter I was told the person on blenders said if I came back and asked for that again they would not make it. I expressed it was odd since you’re paying for a service and a product. They proceed to tell me they asked the manager in the past who said since it wasn’t on the menu they don’t do it, and said they don’t get paid enough to make those decisions… sorry but what? I tip every single time I’m there, sometimes I go twice in a day. I just don’t get why you would mix multiple flavors? At that point it’s just one flavor… I ordered to aquaberry in the past and it was Brown. How appetizing. I’m not planning on coming back. Paying 400% what an energy drink costs for negative vibes and pure laziness isn’t what I like to spend my money on. Not only did it take 20 min to get my drink they used different flavors of what I asked for. It’s a shame because I have had great service in the past. Good luck…

Oh and I almost forgot, I saw a rat crawling on the building one time when I walked up… yuck. Also, please stop asking if we want straws. I would say no every time but the lids are faulty and leak all over you if you...

So, I don't drink coffee. But my girlfriend does, and I've visited and ordered from here several times to justify writing this review. Dutch Bros is infamous in ASU to be the hot-spot place for your late, coffee-infused night. It's a small shop and open 24/7 for your early morning to nighttime coffee needs. They also sell other drinks, such as tea, and free water, which I usually end up getting. The customer service is superb and friendly. I've never been to a friendlier coffee shop. They're chatty and nice and easy to talk to while your coffee is being prepared. However, this brings up my only complaint, which is the demand here is high, especially at nights, since Dutch Bros is right next to the campus. And the one-at-a-time system here proves inefficient and getting your cup of Joe may take a good while. The coffee itself tastes good, according to my girlfriend who has been there several times. And the punch card system is an awesome addition, as my girlfriend has gotten several free coffees through it. All in all, this small shop is known campus wide for its delicious coffee, but because of that, it's lines are usually long and Dutch Bros' inefficient system increases...