Why Americans can't stop coming back for coffee, even as dining budgets tighten

As Americans tighten their wallets, consumers are cutting back on some everyday luxuries — but not coffee.

A Dec. 18 report from Placer.ai, an analytics platform, found that coffee chains recorded year-over-year visit growth in 2025, even as restaurants struggled to achieve the same success.

The report mentions Scooter's Coffee, a drive-thru coffee chain headquartered in Nebraska, noting the chain saw a 3.1% year-over-year increase in average visits per location in the third quarter of 2025.