Costa Coffee has reached 400 UK drive-thru locations with a new opening in Norwich, as the format becomes an increasingly important part of its wider estate strategy.
Costa Coffee has opened its 400th drive-thru store in the UK, marking a milestone in the development of its property strategy.
The new site at Norwich Broadway Enterprise Park reflects the brand’s continued investment in convenience-led formats, as drive-thru locations play an increasingly prominent role within its estate. The format has become a key component of Costa Coffee’s expansion strategy, supporting demand for accessible, on-the-go coffee experiences.
Costa Coffee is now the UK’s largest drive-thru coffee operator and plans to open up to 40 additional drive-thru stores during 2026. The pipeline reflects sustained consumer demand for speed, accessibility and quality, particularly in roadside and retail park environments.
“Drive-thrus are one of the fastest-growing parts of our retail estate, and play an important role in meeting changing customer missions. For many customers it’s about convenience – grabbing a coffee on the commute, during the school run or while travelling.”
Nick Ridley, Property & Store Development Director at Costa Coffee
Costa Coffee currently operates more than 2,800 stores across the UK, spanning high streets, retail parks, shopping centres, transport hubs and drive-thru locations. Alongside new openings, the business continues to invest in its existing estate, with an ongoing refurbishment programme aimed at enhancing the in-store experience. Over the past year, more than 110 high street locations and over 100 stores in shopping centres and retail parks have been refurbished.
“Our coffee shops remain central to the Costa Coffee experience,” Nick Ridley added. “Drive-thrus are not a replacement for the high street – they complement our wider estate by serving different moments in a customer’s day and helping us reach customers where they want us to be.
Nick Ridley, Property & Store Development Director at Costa Coffee
Costa Coffee opened its first UK drive-thru in 2011 and has since played a significant role in the growth of the format. Industry data from Allegra indicates that the number of drive-thru coffee sites in the UK has increased by 6.7% over the past year, with nearly half of consumers using the format in 2025.
A majority of Costa Coffee’s drive-thru sites are co-located with a full coffee shop, offering flexibility for customers to either sit in or take away. The company has also built a pipeline of locations supported by long-standing partnerships with developers, landlords and property agents.
However, the business notes that delivering new drive-thru locations is becoming increasingly complex. Planning constraints, rising construction costs and competition for suitable roadside sites are contributing to longer delivery timelines and upward pressure on rents.
“Developing drive-thru sites requires navigating a range of challenges, from securing suitable roadside locations to managing planning constraints, rising construction costs, and timelines which can often extend to several years,” said Nick Ridley. “Competition for prime sites remains intense, with multiple operators targeting the same high-quality locations, placing upward pressure on rents and increasing the importance of early site identification and strong partner relationships.”
Nick Ridley, Property & Store Development Director at Costa Coffee
Despite these challenges, Costa Coffee continues to identify opportunities for further expansion.
“Our network planning shows there are still strong opportunities for drive-thrus across the UK,” Nick Ridley concluded. “We continue to actively seek new locations and work closely with partners to bring forward the right sites.”
Nick Ridley, Property & Store Development Director at Costa Coffee
The milestone forms part of a broader programme of investment across Costa Coffee’s UK estate, spanning new openings, relocations and refurbishments as the business responds to evolving consumer behaviour.
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