Coffee is a universal drink that many people worldwide are always yearning for. And for this reason, coffee chains have been established to meet the demand of this coffee culture.

Coffee shops also became the favorite bonding place where people enjoy conversation over a cup of steaming coffee. In this article, we give you more than 25 of the most popular coffee chains around the world.

Some of these famous brands in the coffee shop industry also offer their coffee in grocery stores.

1. Starbucks

There is no argument for the fact that the Starbucks corporation is the most renowned coffee chain everywhere since it is also considered the biggest chain in the world. In the US alone, it already has 15,000 branches, while around the globe, it has 30,000 locations in its recent report.

This is one of the largest coffee companies and is considered top-of-the-line regarding roastery and coffeehouse operations. It started brewing the best coffee flavor on March 30, 1971, in Seattle, Washington, USA. The name Starbucks was derived from the novel Moby Dick.

Among the products that its branches serve are hot and cold caffe lattes, espresso, and Frappuccino. You can also find their coffee in grocery stores.

2. Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons is one of the most well-known and one of the largest coffee chain stores worldwide, founded 56 years ago in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. As at 2023, this multinational food chain has over 5,352 locations worldwide. It operates in the United States, Ireland, China, Spain, and Thailand.

Aside from coffee, Tim Hortons also offers doughnuts and various fast food products. Further, Tim Hortons was formerly known as Tim Horton Donuts, Tim Donuts Limited, and the TDL Group. Burger King acquired this company in 2014, but it was also affiliated with Wendy’s in 1995.

3. Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

Another well-patronized coffee chain worldwide is Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. This popular coffee shop brand was established 57 years ago by Herbert Hyman. As of now, this company already has 1,000 shops that can be found in 31 countries. In the Philippines, it is run by Jollibee Foods Corporation.

Initially, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf only sold coffee, but it started exploring other drinks in 1970 as it expanded to ten more stores. Afterward, it also started serving specialty teas. This coffee shop’s most loved product is its Ice Blended Coffee. It is described as a mixture of ice, chocolate powder, and coffee.

4. Costa Coffee

Costa Coffee is a British coffee chain founded in 1971 by Bruno and Sergio Costa. It is headquartered in Dunstable, England. According to its latest report, this famous coffee shop company already has 3,883 branches worldwide.

Originally, Costa Coffee was owned by Whitbread, but in 2019, it was sold to the Coca-Cola Company, and it is now available in 31 countries. This coffee shop is famous for various beverages, such as hot and cold drinks, as well as savory snacks, sweet snacks, cakes and pastries, and reusable cups.

5. Dunkin Donuts

Dunkin Donuts is certainly known first for its various flavors of doughnuts and other baked menus. Little did others know that it also ventures into coffee products. And this company became successful in the food and coffee industry. It may be unbelievable, but Dunkin Donuts is second to Starbucks as the world’s largest coffee chain.

As of 2023, there are more than 11,300 restaurants across the globe that serve donuts and coffee. Indeed, this company has gone far since it started in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts. The man behind the founding of Dunkin Donuts is William Rosenberg. In 1990, Baskin-Robbins bought this company.

6. McCafe

This brand started making its name in different countries when it was founded by Ann Brown in 1993. It was first launched in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and operated by McDonald’s. This is now the biggest coffee shop industry branding in Australia and New Zealand.

It is no surprise that the customers love McCafe’s brewed and blended coffee flavors because they use 100% coffee beans supplied by Rainforest Alliance Farms. Per its latest report, McCafe has 1,300 branches across the globe now and counting.

7. Dutch Bros Coffee

Dutch Bros Coffee is one of the world’s most famous drive-thru coffee chains. It is located in the United States, and its main branch has remained based in Grants Pass, Oregon, since its founding on February 12, 1992. The infamous tagline of this company is “make a difference, one cup at a time.”

The founders of this company started selling coffee through pushcarts. They already have 12,000 employees operating in 300 coffee shops in the western United States.

Some of the favorite products of Dutch Bros Coffee are coffee beans, beverages, tea, smoothies, and power drinks.

8. Gloria Jean’s Coffee

Gloria Jean’s Coffee has accomplished so much since it was established in 1979 by Ed and Gloria Jean Kvetko. It was founded in Long Grove, Illinois, USA and its headquarters remain in Castle Hill, New South Wales, Australia, since it was built more than 40 years ago. This coffee tycoon already has 1,000 shops in 39 countries and is expected to grow more in the coming years.

This American-Australian coffee has 460 branches in Australia and is owned by one of the US’s top coffee retailers, the Retail Food Group. This coffee shop’s main product is hot and cold beverages. One of its bestseller beverages is its Iced Chocolate Chiller.

When the spread of the coronavirus began in 2020, many businesses in the coffee shop industry began suffering, including Gloria Jean’s Coffee. By November 2022, they had announced the closure of 250 stores.

9. Caribou Coffee

Another famous coffee brand in the coffee and tea retail industry is Caribou Coffee, founded by its brainchild John Butcher. The humble beginning of this coffee chain was rooted in Edina, Minnesota, on December 14, 1992.

From a single branch, the Caribou Coffee machine has grown in the American coffee market and worldwide. Now it has a total of 603 branches worldwide with an estimated revenue of $262 million. A German company now owns this top nationwide coffee chain.

10. Tully’s Coffee

Tully’s Coffee was first introduced in the USA 28 years ago. The owner of this company was Keurig Dr. Pepper, who bought the brand in 2009. Its 300 stores welcomed customers with open arms on daily operations.

Some of Tully’s Coffee shops’ bestseller goods included hot and cold brew coffee, espresso, and pastries. Specifically, its most popular drink was the Bellaccino. Unfortunately, the shops permanently closed in 2018 due to more than 45 lawsuits filed against the company for unpaid rent and late payments.

Although the retail locations closed, you can still purchase Tully’s Coffee beverages at Walmart and online from their site, including their French roast K cup pods and Dark Roast for the Keurig.

11. Caffe Ritazza

Caffe Ritazza has achieved a wide range of fans in many places due to its four blends: Sorrento, Napoli, Capri, and Firenze. Aside from these most sought products, its stores also offer pastries, panini, and ciabattas.

This British Multinational coffee chain opens many branches in 21 countries with a total of 119 outlets. SSP Group operates this coffee shop. Its stores are mostly found in travel areas such as railways and airports.

12. Bewley’s

One of the oldest coffee empires in the world is Bewley’s, founded in 1840. It started brewing coffee in Dublin, Ireland, and now its branches are doing well in the United Kingdom and the United States. The men behind the creation of Bewley’s are Samuel and Charles Bewley.

Bewley’s is not just after profit. It is also eco-friendly, as they implemented the use of 100% recyclable cups in 2018. It is also known for having its coffee roasting that can process about 2,000 tons of coffee beans in a year.

13. Lavazza

Another legend in the retail coffee industry is Lavazza, which derived its name from the surname of its founder Mr.Luigi Lavazza. This Italian seller of coffee items was founded in 1895 in Turin, Italy. Who would ever think this coffee shop started its operations in a simple grocery store? Now, it has 3800 employees already and branches located in 90 countries.

Lavazza’s signature drinks are Caffe Crema, Super Crema, Qualita Oro, and Gran Aroma bar. But the bestseller among its products is its coffee, which comes with chicken sticks on the side.

Also Read: 10 Best Coffee Brands in 2022 (Reviews)

14. Caffe Nero

People who have been to London, England, may already have stopped by Caffe Nero to taste their best beverages. Although Caffe Nero means black coffee, its stores offer drinks such as Espresso, Frappe, Tea, and pastries.

Caffe Nero was established in England in 1997. Most branches are in countries like the United States, Croatia, Turkey, UAE, Oman, the UK, Ireland, Poland, Sweden, and Cyprus. We put Caffee Nero as one of the largest coffee companies because it has 700 branches worldwide at present. The newest addition to its business venture is its coffee roaster, which is among the delicious qualities based on Allegra Strategies.

15. Coffee Beanery

One of the most sought-after coffee shops in town is the Coffee Beanery. It has 120 stores worldwide, but many of its branches are in the United States, Asia, and Europe. It was built in Michigan in 1976 by Joanne Shaw.

This coffee chain is known for its flavorful coffee, tea, and smoothies. It also offers high-quality coffee beans by roasting them at the right temperature. Some of the unique offerings of Beanery Blend are Black Velvet, Colombian Specialty Coffee, and CB Select.

16. Biggby Coffee

Biggby Coffee is an American coffeehouse chain. It is based in Lansing, Michigan and was founded in 1995 by Bob Fish and Mary Roszel. The store was originally named Beaner’s Coffee but has since been changed after expanding into new markets. They didn’t want to condone the use of a disparaging term.

There are currently over 277 locations open or under contract across ten different states, including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, South Caroline, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Florida, Texas, and New Jersey.

They are a one-stop shop when it comes to coffee, tea, mugs and other coffee-related merchandise. Biggy Best Gourmet Coffee is a medium roast blend of Tanzania Peaberry and Columbian beans.

All of their coffee beans are carefully selected and expertly roasted. They also offer a Zip. Zip is a flavorless energy shot packed full of essential vitamins and caffeine. You can add this shot to any drink.

17. Dunn Brothers Coffee

Dunn Brothers Coffee is a franchised coffee company founded in St. Paul, Minnesota, in December of 1987 by brothers Ed and Dan Dunn. As of September 2022, Dunn Brothers Coffee has 57 locations throughout the United States, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Texas, and Missouri.

Also in 2023, Dunn Brothers Coffee was acquired by Gala Capital Partners, a Costa Mesa-based investment firm that also funds Mooyah Burgers and Cici’s Pizza.

Dunn Brothers Coffee brews coffee and specialty drinks and also has a breakfast and lunch menu. Their coffee is roasted daily and brewed hourly, ensuring each customer gets a fresh cup of coffee.

18. Blue Bottle Coffee Company

Blue Bottle Coffee Company is considered a specialty coffee roaster and retailer. They are headquartered in Oakland, California. The main draw of this coffee company is its attempt to shorten the chain, bringing everyone involved in the buying, roasting, brewing, and drinking of the coffee together with single origin beans. So, every cup of Blue Bottle coffee you drink is guaranteed to come from a single sustainable source of green beans.

The Blue Bottle Coffee Company borrowed its name from one of Europe’s first cafes, The Blue Bottle Coffee House. It first opened in the San Francisco Bay area and opened its first New York location in 2010. Since its founding, the coffee company has spread to other countries, including Japan.

19. Scooter’s Coffee

Scooter’s Coffee sells 100% Arabica coffee products and is known for its quick and delicious coffee selections. Their slogan: “Amazing People, Amazing Drinks…Amazingly Fast.” Scooter’s Coffee was founded in 1998 by Don and Linda Eckles and has seen substantial growth since then.

Each coffee brewed at Scooters follows the same recipe guidelines. They are small drinks containing two shots of espresso or large drinks with three shots of espresso. They put a smiley sticker on the back of each cup to make the customer’s day brighter.

20. PJs Coffee of New Orleans

With roots in New Orleans, PJs Coffee of New Orleans is an American chain of coffeehouses founded in September 1978 by Phyllis Jordan. It was formally known as PJs Coffee & Tea Co. PJs Coffee of New Orleans is famous for hot and cold coffee beverages made with arabica beans from Colombia, Ethiopia, Honduras, Nicaragua, and New Guinea.

In addition to single origin and direct trade coffees, this coffee shop also offers espresso drinks and specialty frozen and blended options. As of November 2022, there are 162 PJs coffee stores in the United States, with the majority in Louisiana.

21. Philz Coffee

Philz Coffee is another American coffee company and coffeehouse chain founded by Phil Jaber in 2003. It is based in San Francisco, California, and focuses on making pour-over coffee. This coffeehouse feels more like a bar than a coffeehouse, and the baristas act as bartenders.

If you plan on visiting, we highly recommend trying their famous Tesora blend, created by Phil, the founder. They also serve other coffee varieties, teas, mint mojitos, hot chocolate, and pastries.

There are 70 Philz Coffee locations in the United States and major cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, DC Metro, and Chicago.

22. Tandem Coffee Roasters

Tandem Coffee Roasters is a wholesale coffee roaster that serves espressos, pastries, and bags of coffee. They have two cafes in Portland, Maine. Will and Kathleen Pratt founded Tandem Coffee Roasters in Portland in 2012 after working in the coffee industry in Boston.

They offer a rotating list of single origin coffees as well as seasonal blends. They work closely with small growers and specialty importers. One percent of their yearly sales go directly to environmental nonprofits working on protecting the planet.

23. Quill’s Coffee

Quill’s Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster based out of Louisville, Kentucky. They have cafes in Louisville and Indianapolis and a long list of wholesale customers. They were established in 2007 based on Nathan Quillo’s love of coffee. They offer various bagged coffee options, including Colombian, Ethiopian, and Kenyan varieties.

24. Communal Coffee

If you are looking for a café and shop with multiple locations in southern California, check out Communal Coffee. Jen Byard founded Communal Coffee in 2016 when she opened the original location in North Park, San Diego. They offer full craft coffee options and an extensive drink menu with seasonal food offerings, fresh flowers, creative spaces, and other curated goods.

25. Stumptown Coffee Roasters

Stumptown Coffee Roasters is a coffee roaster and retailer based in Portland, Oregon. The flagship store opened in 1999, with other locations opening in Seattle, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New Orleans. It was founded by Duane Sorenson.

Stumptown Coffee is now owned by Peet’s Coffee and JAB Holding Company. They make sure to go right to the source of good coffee and get their beans from a farm on a hill in Ethiopia.

Other Coffee Shop Companies

The following chains are better known for other specialties but still serve gourmet coffee and are definitely worth mentioning.

Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme, like Dunkin Donuts, is another location where you can find gourmet coffee to go with your delicious breakfast. Krispy Kreme uses signature coffee blends made with 100% Arabica coffee beans. In addition to hot coffee, they also serve frozen drinks.

Since it is a longtime chain, they currently have over 1,400 locations worldwide. As of 2023, 361 of those locations are in the United States, which only accounts for a small percentage of all Krispy Kreme locations.

Panera Bread

Panera Bread also serves 100% Arabica coffee, free of artificial flavors, sweeteners, and preservatives. The light roast and dark roast coffee varieties are ground fresh in the stores, so you are getting a bright and fresh cup of coffee. If you join the Panera Rewards Program, you can join their coffee subscription and get free coffee.

Peets Coffee

As of 2023, there are 338 Peets Coffee locations within the United States, with the majority in California. Peets Coffee was actually one of the first coffee bean and brewed coffee retailers in the US to offer specialty-grade coffee.

They roast their beans for longer. Doing so produces a darker coffee that is more bitter and has less of a sour taste that some other coffee varieties may have. One of the stronger dark roasted coffees it is well-known for is its Major Dickason blend.

The quality of their coffee beverages is consistent, and batches are brewed every 30 minutes. They use only selective, finely ground coffee beans and their unique roasting process to give each coffee its rich and intense flavor.

There you have it. A list of some of the more famous coffee chains you might want to visit soon.

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