After hearing that Dutch Bros was opening a new location in Tampa, people had been buzzing for weeks, waiting for the doors to finally open. Tucked off West Ballast Point Blvd, the coffee spot is only a quick three-to-four-minute drive from school. Figuring the first-day crowds would be wild, I left on school business after an exam a bit early to beat the rush—but clearly, I wasn’t the only one with that idea. I ended up running into a few skippers, all with the same plan.
Upon seeing multiple cop cars controlling traffic, three blocks of full cars waiting to hopefully be added to the “main” drive thru, and dozens of influencers lined up recording themselves with neon-colored drinks, I felt like I had entered an alternate universe.
If I hadn’t gone there with the sole intent of getting coffee and had just happened to pass by, I may have thought a concert was taking place in that tiny, nondescript building. People were dressed up, wearing concert-type outfits, for coffee. The idea seemed absurd, and after trying their unremarkable menu, it still does.
The buzz mostly centers around Dutch Bros’ wild drink offerings. Known for their flashy refreshers and out-there coffee combinations, Dutch Bros seemingly stands out amongst the fast-food coffee industry. What people don’t realize however is Wawa’s been doing the same thing for years now, with better prices.
Around 2021, Wawa introduced an extensive beverage menu, full of refreshers and fanciful coffees alike. If you visit their menu, you’ll find extremely similar drinks to that of Dutch Bro’s, with simpler names. The key difference is they’re about half the price. Obviously, more attention’s going to be brought to Dutch Bro’s no matter what just because it’s new, but I’m not sure if people are aware of this cheaper alternative.
Instead of ordering what I usually would, a coffee or matcha, I wanted to have the full “Dutch Bro’s” experience and order the scariest, fruitiest drink I could find. Upon review of the menu, “Shark Attack Rebel” gave me the biggest fright.
The “Attack” was personal- full of syrup and sugar, and a desire for something better. Don’t get me wrong though, what they advertise is exactly what you get, I just would prefer to get my classic Dunkin latte. Enjoying a nice, cool Shark Attack Rebel at 8:00 a.m. before school just doesn’t sound plausible. Tampa might be excited about the hype, but once the buzz fades, I’m curious to see who’s still showing up for the drinks—and who quietly returns to their usual order elsewhere.
