A national coffee chain is looking to make its California debut in Concord by transforming the A&W/KFC restaurant on Clayton Road into a drive-through-only coffee stand. According to project plans submitted to the City of Concord, the proposed 7 Brew Coffee location would convert the existing 3,664-square-foot fast-food restaurant into a drive-through-focused operation with no indoor seating or dining area. The former dining space would instead be used for employee training and storage. The project includes construction of a dual-lane drive-through entrance along the western property line, exterior upgrades to the building, new signage, and minor landscaping improvements.
Founded in Arkansas, 7 Brew Coffee has rapidly expanded across 35 states and is known for its customizable menu of hot and iced coffees, teas, energy drinks, lemonades, smoothies, shakes, and flavored sparkling waters. The company also sells limited packaged food items. If approved, the Concord site would become the company’s first California location. Plans indicate the business would employ between 10 and 15 workers per shift, with additional staffing during peak periods. The location may also serve as a regional training facility for future Northern California stores, with room for up to five trainees at a time. To help move vehicles through the line more quickly, 7 Brew plans to use employees known as “runners” or “line busters” who walk between vehicles taking orders and payments using handheld devices. The company says the system is designed to reduce wait times while creating a more personal customer experience. The proposed hours of operation would be from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. A Dutch Bros Coffee location sits two buildings east of the proposed site, and a Starbuck’s is being constructed just across the street, on the corner of Clayton and Bailey.
Given the lines at the Starbucks and Dutch Bros, I guess there’s demand for it. It’s kind of a shame it will be drive-thru only. A walk-up window would be a nice addition.
Ok so let me get this straight. Starbucks on the corner of Treat and Clayton rd. Dunkin less than a block away. Hold on there’s more. Dutch Bro’s 2 blocks up the street. Another Starbucks being constructed across the street from Dutch Bro’s. Now right before Dutch Bro’s……………….. wait for it another coffee shop. . those in charge of concords decision making at its finest. Man y’all keep voting these morons to continue spending concords money so strategically to help the community. Then hop on here and complain. Truly comical
USA JIM,
.
Every incarnation of the Concord City Council for decades now, almost never say “NO” to a business or developer wanting to do business in the city. Walmart is one of the rare exceptions. The Concord City Council ONLY looks at potential sales tax, property tax, and licensing revenue when approving a business.
.
You’re making the mistake of looking at these businesses as “coffee shops,” when they’re really in the flavored drink and sweetened drink business.
.
The majority of people complaining about the decisions made by the Concord City Council here on Claycord aren’t the ones voting for them. Which city or county do you live in that has such a great city council or county supervisors that you never complain about decisions that they make?
.
You stated, “Man, y’all keep voting these morons to continue spending concords money so strategically to help the community.” Where is the City of Concord spending “Concord’s money” on this private business?
So nit picky but it doesn’t change his point which is true that these people keep getting put back in place while making these kind of decisions and yes it is beyond time to kick the trash to the curb. Concord used to be a lovely quiet country suburb but now not so much and these people and those that keep voting this way have a ton to do with the problems that affect this area.
Dee,
.
Thank you!!!
.
What is it that you’re doing to help “kick the trash to the curb?” We will be getting one new councilmember this year, so how will you get rid of the other two? What are you going to do to get Mayor Laura Nakamura and Councilmember Laura Hoffmeister out of office this year?
.
Mayor Laura Nakamura has been in office for 3 years and 5 months.
.
Vice Mayor Dominic Aliano has been in office for 7 years and 5 months.
.
Councilmember Laura Hoffmeister has been in office for 28 years and 5 months.
.
Councilmember Carlyn Obringer has been in office for 9 years and 5 months.
.
Councilmember Pablo Benavente has been in office for 1 year and 5 months.
.
While I’m very unhappy with most of the decisions made by the Concord City Council when it comes to population growth and development, the fact that the council has had an 80% turnover in a period of 8 years, is a rarity for the City of Concord. For a period of 25 years, Concord voters didn’t vote out any councilmembers, but over a 6 year period, Councilmember Ron Leone was voted out of office in 2018, Councilmember Tim McGallian was voted out of office in 2022, and Councilmember Edi Birsan was voted out of office in 2024, and NOTHING HAS CHANGED!!!
Oh, we have been to one, … in Colorado.
It was a pit-stop break for a little road trip with Daughter & Hubby.
The coffee drink was pretty good. Like it better that Starbuck’s.
But to be honest, … Peet’s Coffee is my jam, … drip decaf.
Peet’s Costa Rica!
What a joke!!!
How many coffee joints will that be with in a 1/4 mile now???
Not surprised A&W/ KFC is losing – like the Wendy’s on Main St in WC …. been going downhill for a long time …. but – Starbucks, Dutch Bros, and this place all within a stones throw? Where will Peet’s go in to round it out? Cazy!
Wow! Just what we need, another coffee place.
Private Snafu,
.
These businesses aren’t so much in the coffee business as they are in the flavored and sweetened drink business.
Awe, it’s a shame that KFC is closing, Always liked that they were one of the few places that had Mountain Dew.
As for another coffee place…. (sigh). The one next to Taco Bell, is always busy, so much so, that it makes it a pain if you want to go to Taco Bell. Half the cars in the parking lot are either employees or walk up traffic for Dutch Bros. I really think Taco Bell got the worse end of the deal there. It’s going to get worse too if that kid school ever opens.
… just looked at their online menu …. no coffee! 🙂
@domo
So after reading your post, I had to look it up. With a sign that says “Drive Thru Coffee”, you’d think that they’d sell regular brewed, medium roast coffee. It’s just as “The Black Knight” said, sweetened drinks. Unbelievable.
I quit going to A&W when it turned into a Chinese restaurant & cross breeding it with KFC was just abnormal so that was never part of my fast food choices back when I lived in nearby Clayton.
Then I gave up on fast food completely when the prices went skyrocketing up into the stupidsphere…. I can afford it but I’m just not going to spend twice what it should cost.
I don’t like getting gouged.
I only like the stand-alone A&Ws. The locations attached to KFC or Taco Bell are not even a fraction as good as those that only serve A&W products.
So, I’m not too sad to see this one go.