Coffee chains are true gifts to coffee fans everywhere. If you’re on the road or simply out and about in your hometown, it’s fun to visit a favorite franchise. When you enter that establishment, you can be confident that your beverage will be as hot and as tasty as always.
Below are brief descriptions of several of the best-loved coffee chains currently in existence.
Tully’s Coffee
Tully’s Coffee, which is headquartered in Seattle, is one of the newer establishments on this list: It’s only been around since 1992. Since then, however, it’s developed a strong reputation for quality and service. In fact, its baristas are willing to share tips ― advice, not money ― with customers, and its baked treats are as tempting as its espressos and coffees. You’ll find Tully’s stores in Washington, California, Idaho, and Arizona. The company also has shops in Asia and Sweden.
Peet’s Coffee & Tea
As a business, Peet’s Coffee & Tea is a small fraction of the size of Starbucks, but it has still influenced the entire American coffee industry. Peet’s has enjoyed a devoted following ever since Alfred Peet opened his first coffeehouse in Berkeley, Calif., in 1966. An immigrant from the Netherlands, Peet was an expert on espressos and coffees, and his shop helped to popularize dark roasts and fresh beans. Today, there are approximately 200 Peet’s stores; most of them are in California.
Coffee Beanery
Spending time inside a Coffee Beanery can be delightful. Each location offers an array of salads, soups, sandwiches, and pastries in addition to coffees, espressos, and other beverages.
Coffee Beanery debuted in 1976 and maintains home offices in Flushing, Mich. With more than 130 stores in the U.S. and at least 25 international locations, it has certainly been a success for JoAnne Shaw. Shaw collaborated with her husband Julius to open the first Coffee Beanery shop in Dearborn, Mich., and she remains the company’s CEO.
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Better known as “Coffee Bean,” this business originated in 1963 and is based in Los Angeles. Coffee Bean stores are in 25 nations, and more than 900 of its locations are in the U.S.
In 1966, Herbert Hyman, Coffee Bean’s founder, went to Sweden with his wife Mona for a honeymoon. In that country, the couple experienced the glories of gourmet coffee, and Hyman realized how sought-after such drinks could be. Upon his return home, he revolutionized his business, introducing premium beverages and letting consumers taste samples. Hyman died in 2014, but his legacy as a pioneer in the making and selling of American gourmet coffee endures..
