Love? Avoid? Tolerate? You likely have an opinion on Dutch Bros. But is the friendliness real?
Coffee addicts, you know where you stand.
If you drink caffeinated beverages and live in the West, you’ve probably pulled through a Dutch Bros. Coffee stand. And you probably have an opinion on the famously friendly baristas (or, in Dutch Bros. parlance, “broistas”).
The coffee company, founded in 1992 in Oregon, has a loyal fan base. It’s been dubbed the “Dutch Mafia,” and you can easily spot an espresso mafioso — just look for a car covered in Dutch Bros. stickers.
The company now has coffee stands in seven states, boasting about 10,000 employees. There are about 20 shops in the Treasure Valley.
If you live in Boise, you can expect even more Dutch Bros. locations to pop up in the near future. Boise franchise owner Brian Wight says he’s planning to open two more in his territory — east of Cloverdale Road.
The public sentiment toward Dutch Bros. personalities seems to fall into three camps, based on social media reviews from all over the West:
1. The Dutch Mafia fans
These Dutch Bros. customers love the smiles and the chit-chat — oh, and the coffee and colorful drinks. They probably have a Dutch Bros. mug and a wallet full of punch cards.
“I went to Dutch Bros feeling really horrible and tired, really not feeling today, but I pulled up to get a Rebel and the barista was so nice and got my drink to me super quickly and gave it to me free,” wrote a fan on Twitter. “Just the friendly ‘good morning’ made my day.”
2. The never again-ers
This customer tried Dutch Bros. once or twice. Never went back.
Also in this camp: the curmudgeon who goes for the coffee but suffers through the interaction; and the customer who is so not comfortable with that barista calling them “babe” with a wink.
“I literally can’t with Dutch Bros. sometimes,” a non-fan wrote on Twitter. “I get you’re friendly, but let’s move it along; 99 percent of the time someone is getting coffee in the morning is because they have to be somewhere.” The customer capped off their commentary with an eye-rolling emoji.
3. The introverts/pre-coffee sleepyheads
This customer will brave the small talk, but they’re more interested in reconnecting with their old friend, caffeine.
“I really appreciate Dutch Bros. employees for being upbeat, outgoing and friendly as they attempt to spark a conversation with you,” one Twitter user commented. “But sometimes I’m like DAMN! I don’t feel like talking, Oliver! I’m tired. I don’t feel like moving my mouth to create sounds that form words.”
The Dutch Bros. way? ‘100 percent real.’
Dutch Bros. knows its style isn’t for everyone. But Wight told the Statesman that training for Dutch employees includes learning to read a customer and turn the charm dial up or down accordingly.
The most common question Wight and his managers hear: Is that friendliness real?
One hundred percent real, he says.
“When we hire people, we’re looking for personalities,” he told the Statesman. “I want to make sure our employees are authentic, whether you see them at Dutch Bros. or at Costco or Target — we want you to see the same person. ... There’s not one right way to do it. Some employees are the life of the party and dancing around, and then we have other employees who want to engage with customers in a deeper way.”
‘Changing people’s lives through ... giving them coffee’
Most people who come through Dutch Bros. enjoy the interaction, Wight said.
“We’re looking for people who love their community [and are] interested in changing people’s lives through the simple act of giving them coffee,” he said of Dutch Bros. baristas.
Sound like an exaggeration? Well, the Boise office keeps a book of anecdotes from baristas.
Here are a few, recounted by Dutch Bros. Coffee of Boise human resources director Niki Helsel:
There was a customer who divulged to a barista that she’d just “had the worst day ever.” The barista reached into his wallet, gave her some cash and urged her to buy a pinata and bring it back, then take out her day’s frustrations. The customer later wrote a note “about how meaningful and impactful that was ... how much they actually care,” Helsel said.
There was the Dutch Bros. regular who had a beloved pet cat. The cat was sick and needed surgery, so the baristas pooled their tips for the week to help pay for it.
And finally, a story about life and hope.
A barista was working the graveyard shift at the drive-thru coffee stand on Milwaukee Street in Boise, about a year and a half ago. A customer came up to order, and the barista struck up a conversation. They sat talking for a long time — maybe 45 minutes.
Later, the customer sent a note.
“They had come through that night for their last coffee, ever,” Helsel said. “It was through the conversation with one of our baristas that they decided not to end their life.”
The barista had no idea that’s what was on the customer’s mind that night.
They just “made the person their coffee and got in some genuine conversation,” Helsel said.
This story was originally published January 30, 2019 at 3:48 PM.
