Virginia's coffee scene gets a jolt of West Coast energy this week. Dutch Bros Coffee will open its first Virginia location at 796 Lynnhaven Parkway in Virginia Beach on Friday, October 16, 2026, according to a company release.
The Oregon-founded chain confirmed the opening date as it marks its official entry into the state, according to The Virginian-Pilot. The new shop will serve specialty coffees, smoothies, teas, freezes, lemonades, and the chain's signature Dutch Bros Rebel energy drinks, per the same report. Hours are set for 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, the outlet notes.
Dutch Bros isn't stopping at Virginia Beach. The company is also planning another shop in the Grafton area of York County along George Washington Memorial Highway, and it applied in March 2026 for a special use permit to operate a location at 496 McLaws Circle in Williamsburg, per the Pilot's report.
A Rival Chain Is Racing to Beat Dutch Bros to the Punch
The Virginia Beach debut lands squarely in the middle of an intensifying regional rivalry. A 7 Brew location in Virginia Beach is also part of the regional coffee landscape, while the chain has submitted engineering plans for a York County location along George Washington Memorial Highway, according to the Williamsburg Independent. That chain opened 280 stands nationwide in 2025 alone, the outlet reports.
From a Pushcart in Oregon to a Billion-Dollar Chain
Dutch Bros traces its roots to 1992, when brothers Dane and Travis Boersma left their family's dairy business to sell coffee from a pushcart near railroad tracks in Grants Pass, Oregon, using a double-head espresso machine, according to the company's own account on Dutch Bros Coffee's website. The chain reported $1.64 billion in revenue in fiscal 2025.
That growth has accelerated sharply in recent years. Dutch Bros generated $1.64 billion in total revenue during fiscal year 2025, a 27.9% year-over-year increase, while reporting average unit sales of $2.1 million per store, according to Retail & Leisure International. Systemwide same-store sales grew 7.7% in the fourth quarter of 2025, per the same report. As of 2026, the company operates more than 1,130 drive-thru locations across 25 states and is pushing toward a goal of 2,029 total shops nationwide by 2029.
Energy Drinks Beyond Traditional Espresso
Much of that momentum comes from menu items beyond traditional espresso. Customized energy drinks, led by the proprietary Blue Rebel energy drink line introduced in 2012, account for 25% of the company's sales profits, according to Tasting Table. Gen Z demand for highly customizable iced beverages is driving much of that category's growth, the outlet reports.
What's Next for the Chain in Virginia
Dutch Bros is pursuing further site approvals and commercial building permits beyond Hampton Roads, including along Hershberger Road in Roanoke, where local officials approved a special drive-thru permit in early 2026, and in the Richmond metropolitan area, per WSET-TV.
For now, the focus is Friday's opening on Lynnhaven Parkway, which gives Virginia Beach drivers their first taste of the chain's broader national buildout. Whether the Hampton Roads market can support both Dutch Bros and 7 Brew's simultaneous expansion remains to be seen, but for the moment, the drive-thru lanes are set to get busy.
