Scooter’s Coffee: Small Spaces With Menu Might

The average Scooter’s Coffee location is 670 square feet, and the majority of its stores are drive-thru. Given these spatial constraints and throughput expectations, the Midwest brand seems almost at odds with its extensive menu, which features several permanent categories as well as a constant influx of LTOs. But over the years, Scooter’s has built a model that not only optimizes its tiny space but also pushes innovation to the max.

“Every single inch matters in the kiosk,” says Angela Dempsey, senior director of menu strategy. “The line has to be set up exactly how a barista would move; even a few steps off the line could be a little bit disruptive. So when we’re bringing in new innovation, we make sure it’s something that can effectively fit on the line, that the recipe build allows them to stay in their normal routine.”

This high-level execution combined with Scooter’s cheery brand personality—awash in smiley faces and cheery signs to “Scoot on Around”— has helped fuel explosive growth and fan fervor. The very first location opened its doors in Bellevue, Neb., in 1998 and steadily expanded to about 150 units by the end 2015. But over the past decade, it has swelled to some 950 stores across 32 states. In June, it was voted Best Coffee Chain of 2026 in Newsweek’s Readers’ Choice awards, beating out such category titans as Starbucks and Dunkin’, as well as other drive-thru-focused up-and-comers like Dutch Bros and 7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee. Newsweek credited the win to its friendly service and robust menu, noting that Scooter’s delivers on its motto, “Amazing People, Amazing Drinks… Fast!”

Novelty on Overdrive

Today, the permanent beverage menu spans nearly a dozen categories; in addition to the requisite iced and hot offerings are Red Bull Infusions, Sparkling Floats and Soda, Lemonades and the ‘Licious Lineup. That last category just launched in February but harkens back to the brand’s earliest days when the Caramelicious Latte was among the first-ever specialty drinks.

Credit: Scooter’s Coffee

Inspired by the success of its long-running Caramelicious Latte, Scooter’s launched a full ‘Licious Lineup, featuring “high-appeal” flavors like Strawberry Shortcake, Fudgelicious and Honeycomb.

“It has been an absolute fan favorite for 28 years, and we thought, ‘Why are we just limiting ourselves to this one amazing signature drink?’ We wanted to give it a buddy, and we ended up giving it six buddies—because we go big here,” Dempsey says with a laugh. “We wanted a variety of those high-appeal flavors that would capture different guests.”

In addition to the original, the ‘Licious Lineup includes Strawberry Shortcake, Cinnalicious, Honeycomb, Turtle, Fudgelicious and Sea Salt Caramelicious. Each can be prepared as a hot or iced latte or an ice cream Blender. Since debuting earlier this year, the ‘Licious Lineup has been a resounding success—and it hasn’t slowed Scooter’s LTO cadence in the least. The brand launches six flavor-centric campaigns annually and while these can tap core menu items, there’s no shortage of returning favorites and new offerings.

“We know our guests expect newness, and that’s what brings them through our lane. So we want to make sure we have something new for them every few weeks or months,” Dempsey says. To wit, Scooter’s unveiled two Halloween specials earlier this month, bolstering its already sizable September-October campaign. The Nightmare Shake is a strawberry- and cherry-flavored milkshake (which Dempsey likens to a strawberry cream soda) that’s finished with strawberry drizzle and two gummy eyeballs.

Credit: Scooter’s Coffee

Scooter’s runs six LTO campaigns each year, as well as bonus specials like the October-only Green Ghoul Red Bull Infusion and Nightmare Shake.

“Strawberry and cherry are highly ubiquitous flavors. And it’s perfectly on brand for us—a little bit more gruesome than we typically have, but we wanted it to be really fun. We wanted it to make a statement,” Dempsey says. Within just a day of launching, fans were already chattering about the Nightmare Shake on social media. Plus, “it’s been fun to talk about gummy eyeballs in meetings,” she adds. A second Halloween-themed special, the Green Ghoul Red Bull Infusion, features green and lime flavors with a “ghostly ring” of marshmallow drizzle. It also represents a high-volume, non-coffee category on the menu.

Infusion in Force

Scooter’s was an early adopter of caffeine-powered refreshers, which have since taken the industry by storm. Its partnership with Red Bull began in November 2024, and before that, the brand used its own proprietary energy infusion. While Scooter’s isn’t the only chain to team up with Red Bull, it’s among the few serving the Yellow Edition, which features notes of pineapple and mango with a hint of citrus. “We are unique in that we bring the tropical profile into our infusions, and we have a lot of fun with flavor combos,” Dempsey says. “Flavor combos are the key.”

Coffee drinks still account for at least half of sales, but non-coffee caffeinated beverages are rapidly rising stars for Scooter’s, performing particularly well in the afternoon hours. “Energy drinks are not going to attract every guest, but it is a growing and important subset of our category. It’s shifting the type of guests we attract,” she says, which is especially important as many young consumers seek those options. “We want to make sure we have something for everyone.”

While the menu offers a build-your-own option, Dempsey finds that many guests gravitate toward signature offerings, such as the Apocalypse (prickly pear and blue raspberry), Dragon Nectar (dragon fruit, mango and lemonade) and Lavender Haze (lavender, strawberry and lemonade). Like the ‘Licious Lineup, the Red Bull Infusions are available both iced and in a blended/frozen format and enjoy a regular influx of LTOs, with some, like lavender, finding a permanent place on the menu.

Credit: Scooter’s Coffee

Although coffee still accounts for more than half of all sales, Scooter’s Red Bull Energy Infusion line is an increasingly important category, attracting new guests and boosting afternoon traffic.

Other menu categories include sparkling floats and sodas, lemonades, milkshakes, smoothies and teas. This summer, Scooter’s dipped a toe into the dirty soda space with a trio of options leveraging its existing sodas, syrups and drizzles while also incorporating sweet cream. The Molten Mallow leaned into toasted marshmallow flavor with peppery soda, while the Beach Bash combined cola with white peach and pineapple, and the Lime Oasis featured lime, coconut and lemon-lime soda.

Food might not be a focus at Scooter’s, but it’s hardly an afterthought. All items are frozen, ensuring their preparation doesn’t slow throughput or crowd the kiosk. Options include breakfast sandwiches and burritos, omelette bites and muffins, with sales stretching beyond the morning daypart. Other non-breakfast items, like Bacon Cheddar Sliders and cake bites, over-index later in the day. (Dempsey reports that 30 percent of food sales come in the afternoon—a trend in line with the growing popularity of snacking occasions.) Seasonal specials like the recent Triple Cheese Croissantie (grilled croissant bread with a gooey cheese pull of muenster, provolone and mild cheddar) allow the brand to play with micro-trends while maintaining a streamlined core food menu.

“Food might not be the No. 1 sales driver, but it’s a great add-on to the ticket. It encourages people to get a sandwich with their beverage, even if they were just coming for a beverage—that’s the big opportunity there,” Dempsey says. “It also meets the customers’ needs when they have it. If they’re hungry and they’re in the drive-thru, if they need protein—we have all of those options to keep them satiated and happy.”

All Fun and Games

Beyond F&B, Scooter’s has proven itself to be a savvy brand partner, mining pop culture through strategic collaborations. Currently on rotation is the Sour Patch Lemonade, featuring the eponymous Redberry flavor as well as a gummy garnish. “Our brand has a lot of indulgent, sweeter drinks, and this flavor profile is a perfect match,” Dempsey says. “Plus, who doesn’t love Sour Patch Kids?”

Other CPG collabs abound, with many tapping childhood nostalgia, especially among Gen Z and Millennial consumers. Scooter’s has teamed up twice with Little Debbie now: In 2025, it served an Oatmeal Cream Pie Latte, and this year, it offered both a Cosmic Brownies Latte and Cosmic Brownies Crème Cold Brew. The latter leveraged cold brew’s smooth appeal and the cold-cap craze, topping the drink with cupcake cold foam, mocha drizzle and Cosmic gems. It featured Nabisco products in a “Sweet Competition” that pitted a Nutter Butter Blender against a Chips Ahoy Caramel Blender. And General Mills cereals took the spotlight with LTOs including a Cinnamon Toast Crunch Latte, Lucky Charms Latte and Lucky Charms Cold Foam topper.

“We do try to look for those specific partnerships that are a brand match. It also helps us—and our partners—reach new guests. Even though some of these brands are larger, they’re always looking to acquire new guests. We leverage each other’s brand awareness to drive sales in the moment and for the future,” Dempsey explains.

But perhaps Scooter’s most notable collaborations haven’t been with food brands but rather bastions of pop culture, particularly those of the holiday persuasion. In 2024, it teamed up with board game giant Hasbro to release a full collection of Candyland-themed items, including Mr. Mint Hot Chocolate, Jolly Gumdrop Smoothie, Queen Frostine Sugar Cookie and Gramma Nutt Cold Brew. Last year, Scooter’s celebrated the cult-classic film Elf with a half-dozen specials, like the Buddy the Elf Maple Caramelicious Latte or Chai, Candy Cane Forest Mocha, Cherry Cheer Sparkling Float and Snowball Fight Cake Bites. It even served Son of a Nutcracker Brewed Coffee for those craving something less sweet but still seasonal.

When asked what to expect from this year’s final LTO campaign (typically announced at the end of October), Dempsey is tight-lipped. She says fan favorites like peppermint will make an appearance in some fashion but guests can expect a few wild cards, too. “With every campaign, we want to make sure we’re bringing back what guests want. But,” she hints, “we have a few additional twists as well. I won’t give away what that is, but it’s a little bit unusual, and we’re going to have a lot of fun.”