Drive-thru coffee chains have been pouring into the KC market. Here comes another one

Jenna Thompson
·2 min read

Coffee chains like Scooter’s, Dutch Bros and 7 Brew have all opened drive-thru spots in the Kansas City area this year, and now a coffee company from Texas is ready to slurp up its share of business.

Dallas-based 151 Coffee is building a drive-thru at 91st Street and Metcalf Avenue in Overland Park, which is slated to open in January.

151 Coffee, serving hot and iced lattes, smoothies, energy drinks and more, opened its first location in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 2017. It has since opened nine more Texas locations.

The new drive-thru will be the company’s first out-of-state location.

Construction has begun in the Regency Park Shopping Center, near Natural Grocers. After years of closures, such as Metcalf South Shopping Center and Borders Books & Music, the surrounding area has become a prime spot for development over the past few years. At 95th and Metcalf, Lane4 has opened a Whataburger, Texas Roadhouse and Chick-Fil-A since 2021.

Later, 151 Coffee will open another location at 119th Street and Metcalf. That spot doesn’t have an opening date yet, said Danny Giesbrecht, director of design and construction.

And then? Giesbrecht said the company is looking for more spots in the area.

“We’re definitely growing out that Kansas market,” he said.

151 Coffee hopes to open a spot in Manhattan soon.

151 Coffee serves iced, blended and hot espresso drinks in a variety of flavors, including Snickers and cinnamon.
151 Coffee serves iced, blended and hot espresso drinks in a variety of flavors, including Snickers and cinnamon.

Signature drinks include its cinnamon dulce, Snickers, and white chocolate macadamia lattes. Milk is steamed to exactly 151 degrees — hence the company’s name.

“150 is too cold; 152, too hot,” Giesbrecht said.

This year, Dutch Bros opened four Johnson County spots, while Scooter’s added a 15885 Metcalf Ave. location this spring. Arkansas’ 7 Brew unveiled its Olathe location at 2021 E. Santa Fe St. in June.

151 Coffee’s “dirty soda” offerings will put it in competition with another business — soda shop Swig — which hopes to open six locations next year. (Three of Swig’s locations, serving soda with added creams and flavors, will be in Johnson County.)