Photo credit: Amy Paz Rojas

Outside of the Dutch Bros Coffee is pictured at the University of Southern California. On the USC campus, people often flock to this spot for a coffee to start their day.

I live by the University of Southern California campus, and they opened a Dutch Bros Coffee Nov. 29, 2025. Ever since that day, I would wonder why there were such long lines. Why would people genuinely put themselves through a long line for some coffee?

Dutch Bros Coffee was founded in downtown Grants Pass, Oregon, in 1992 by brothers Dane and Travis Boersma, who left the dairy business to serve espresso. The Boersma brothers’ mission for Dutch Bros Coffee is to make a “massive difference in one cup at a time.” according to their website

Current CEO Christine Barone, the previous CEO of True Food Kitchen, joined Dutch Bros in February 2023. In an interview with Nation’s Restaurant News, Barone was asked about Dutch Bros and discussed how they want it to be seen  as an international brand. Barone discussed the importance of community.

“I think to how we integrate into a local community, our local give-back and how we want to be a part of making every community we are in better,” Barone said.

I knew Dutch Bros sold coffee and a variety of other drinks, as it became quite popular with some of my classmates in middle school. I would see their Instagram stories with a big cup of Dutch Bros Coffee; however, I had yet to try the drinks myself.

As soon as I walked in, the atmosphere at Dutch Bros was very unique. The music was trendy — they played some really good songs by various artists, including SZA. There was a water fountain in the middle of the store’s interior, which was aesthetically pleasing alongside the twinkling fairy lights. The line wasn’t long, but there were a lot of people waiting for their drinks.

When I was ordering, the woman serving me was really sweet. She had such a welcoming nature that definitely improved my mood. The service was inviting; she guided me through the menu and which showed how Dutch Bros cares about their customers.

I was a bit confused by the menu, as each drink is made with 2% milk, but she explained this system with ease. The milk percentage can be changed — that’s what I did with the mocha. It originally had 2% chocolate milk, but I changed it to whole milk. I was ordering the mocha, for my mom and she doesn’t like chocolate milk.

In terms of affordability, the prices were very reasonable, and I think it was worth the $20 for three drinks: a strawberry lemonade, a mocha and the seasonal maple waffle latte. All drinks were amazing — I would highly recommend ordering the maple waffle latte when it is in season.

The flavor of the maple waffle latte was incredible: there was just enough milk, with the coffee not overpowering other flavors. The strawberry lemonade was sour and tangy. I love it when lemonade is sour, balancing out the sweetness of strawberries. The mocha was delicious; the milk also balanced out the coffee, which was very rich in flavor.

Something I realized throughout my taste testing at Dutch Bros Coffee is how similar their drinks are to Starbucks. The maple waffle latte and the mocha tasted exactly like a Starbucks Strawberry acai and a frappuccino, while the strawberry lemonade was more unique. In comparison to Starbucks, I would say Dutch Bros is better because it offers items of a similar quality at a superior price. The only downsides would be big lines and the complex menu, but the coffee is great.

Dutch Bros coffee is something I very much recommend. The variety of options with lactose-intolerant adaptations and flavors is amazing. I understand why people make big lines for this coffee — definitely worth the hype.