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# Going Dutch
- URL: https://www.redeyebr.com/going-dutch/
- Published: 2026-03-11T21:41:14.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-11T21:43:16.000Z
- Description: New coffeeshop is about the experience, not the drink
- Author: JR Ball
- Tags: Get Out

The lines wrapping around the nascent Dutch Bros location near LSU’s campus on West Lee Drive are not a coffee emergency. It's a case study in **brand engineering**.

**The big picture:** Dutch Bros—now the third-largest coffee chain in the country, with roughly 1,000 locations—sells an experience, not just a cup. The Oregon-born drive-through chain has built a devoted following around flavored, caffeine-laced drinks that go well beyond coffee.

**Why it works:**

- Employees, called "Broistas," are trained to bring energy and engage customers—sometimes walking orders out to cars in line. The interaction is part of the product.
- Coffee is almost beside the point. **The menu spans energy drinks**, blended freezes, flavored sodas, teas, and lemonades—all built on a 25-flavor customization system that keeps customers experimenting.
- The Dutch Rewards app—free drink on sign-up—encourages repeat visits through a points-based loyalty system.
- The drive-through-only model fits car-dependent cities like Baton Rouge like a to-go cup fits a holder.

**Start here:** First-timers overwhelmed by the menu should default to the **Golden Eagle**—Dutch Bros' self-described most popular drink. It's espresso, half-and-half, vanilla and caramel syrup, finished with a caramel drizzle. Sweet, rich, and reliable. Order it iced.

**The anti-Starbucks angle matters.** Dutch Bros has cultivated a vibe that feels deliberately different from the green mermaid—louder, younger, more chaotic in the best way. A teenager who hates espresso can still find a mango-coconut energy drink that smacks the same way.

**Yes, but:** Baton Rouge has no shortage of strong local coffee. The lines will thin. What Dutch Bros is really selling right now is novelty, and novelty has a shelf life.

**The bottom line:** Dutch Bros didn't conquer markets by making better coffee. It conquered them by turning the caffeine run into an event.

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