Costa Coffee has unveiled plans to open up to 40 new drive-thru stores across the UK in 2026 as it hits a “major milestone” with the opening of its 400th drive-thru.
The coffee chain opened its first UK drive-thru store in 2011, with the format continuing to “play a key role” in the evolution of its retail estate, being the UK’s largest drive-thru coffee operator.
“Drive-thrus are one of the fastest-growing parts of our retail estate, and play an important role in meeting changing customer missions,” said Costa Coffee property and store development director Nick Ridley. ”For many customers it’s about convenience – grabbing a coffee on the commute, during the school run or while travelling.”
According to industry data from Allegra, the number of drive-thru coffee sites in the UK has grown by 6.7% over the past 12 months, with nearly 50% of consumers ordering coffee from one in 2025.
Costa currently operates more than 2,800 stores in the UK across high streets, retail parks, shopping centres, transport hubs and drive-thru locations.
Alongside the upcoming drive-thru openings, the business continues to invest in its existing estate with an ongoing programme of store refurbishments designed to enhance the customer experience.
Over the past year, Costa has refurbished more than 110 high street locations and over 100 stores in shopping centres and retail parks.
“Our coffee shops remain central to the Costa Coffee experience,” Ridley added. “Drive-thrus are not a replacement for the high street – they complement our wider estate by serving different moments in a customer’s day and helping us reach customers where they want us to be.”
No comments yet