The Future of Drive-Thru Is Experience, Not Just Convenience

September 30, 2026 // Franchising.com // Medford, OR — The Human Bean is spotlighting its experience-first approach to drive-thru service as evolving consumer expectations reshape what guests want from quick-service brands. As younger consumers increasingly seek connection, creativity and memorable brand experiences, the national drive-thru coffee company is reinforcing a strategy it has embraced since its founding: pairing speed and convenience with meaningful, personal interactions.

Founded as a single-stand coffee stop in 1998, The Human Bean has grown to nearly 200 locations nationwide while holding firm to the belief that even the smallest exchange — a 60-second drive-thru interaction — can be meaningful and memorable. As consumer expectations continue to evolve and a new generation of coffee drinkers redefines brand loyalty, The Human Bean believes that experience-first thinking isn't just good hospitality. It's good business.

"Young consumers didn't invent the desire for great experiences, but they’ve made it impossible to ignore,” says Scott Anderson, chief operating officer at The Human Bean. “The goal has always been to create a moment that feels personal and intentional, even at a drive-thru. Now more than ever, it’s what brings people back."

Consumer behavior data increasingly supports what The Human Bean has believed since day one. Today's coffee drinkers, particularly Gen Z consumers who represent a large and growing share of the specialty beverage market, are making purchase decisions based on more than price and proximity alone.

They want transparency. They want connection. They want creativity. And they want to feel like participants in the brands they choose, not just customers.

The relationship between consumables and personal wellbeing runs deep for younger consumers. In the United States, 71% of Gen Zers report feeling excited about new food and drink trends (Datassential, 2025). In addition, nearly 80% of Gen Z consumers believe food and drink have a significant or moderate impact on their emotional wellbeing (Attest, 2024).  
A great drink, in other words, isn't a transaction. It's how they take care of themselves.

Trend research and “little treat culture” also reinforce the opportunity for fun and play. Personality-driven drinks, cozy creations, and non-alcoholic celebratory sips have all emerged as ways younger consumers are seeking out small luxuries in their everyday lives.

At The Human Bean, this means offering seasonally-inspired secret menu drinks, collaborations with brands such as HEATH Bar and Albanese, and “brewed for your mood” customizations. The program includes giveaways such as Pup Cup Charms, specialty stickers, and 90s-style slap bracelets.

The key to facilitating this level of self-expression for guests, says director of training Lily Hawkins, is a “bean on top” level of service.

“We talk about what it means to actually take care of someone, not just take their order,” says Hawkins. “There’s a big difference between serving a guest and creating an experience with one. Our baristas ask questions, make suggestions, offer new things, and meet guests where they are that day.”

The connection doesn’t end when the drink leaves the window. On annual giveback days throughout the year, visitors to The Human Bean can also participate in fundraising for causes like cancer research, food security and sustainable coffee farming by simply visiting the drive-thru and purchasing their favorite drink. When the drive-thru becomes something larger than a transaction, the sense of shared purpose builds more than a daily coffee ritual. 
"Our baristas tell guests that their purchase is going toward something meaningful, and the whole interaction changes,” says Hawkins. “Loyalty built on shared values and stories is always going to be the longer-lasting kind of loyalty.”

In an industry racing toward automation, speed is quickly becoming the floor, not the ceiling. The brands with staying power will be the ones that also create experiences that become remembered and shared. Are both possible in the quick-service industry?

“We can all find ways to move faster, and that’s great,” says Scott Anderson, chief operating officer at The Human Bean. “Finding a way to turn 60 seconds or less into a pause in someone’s day that builds community? There’s an art to that. And it’s an art form we know is worth pursuing.”

SOURCE The Human Bean 

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