Caffè Nero to open its first drive-thru site this spring
Described as a prototype store, the 1,200sq ft drive-thru will become a template for further drive-thru stores in the future from the coffee house brand. It will be located 500 yards from the main terminal building on the main road into and out of the airport, designed to provide a convenient option for anyone dropping off or collecting passengers or those on their way to or from longer term parking.
As well as offering a drive-thru service, the new site is described by the coffee house brand as ‘drive to’ destination with a design feature that includes ‘elegant seating and lighting’ and a deli food offer and will be open 24 hours a day.
It will be built from scratch with a bespoke design for the location at a cost of £1.2m.
“I’m delighted that we are opening our first drive-thru store in the world. I didn’t want to open such a store until we found a location had a format where we could offer a premium experience, combined with the convenience you would look for in a drive-thru,” says founder and group CEO Gerry Ford.
“Our partnership with Stansted Airport allowed us to achieve just that. This store is an experiment for us. It allows Caffè Nero to expand its store format, and it will be the template for further drive-thru stores in the future”.
The brand is among a growing number that have identified the growing drive-thru sector in the UK, with brands including Wendy's, Popeyes, Leon, Gail's Bakery, Tim Hortons, Five Guys, and Starbucks all having opened or trialled drive-thru sites over here in the past few years.
The Nero Group operates nearly 1,100 stores across 10 countries and has more than 620 Caffè Nero stores across the UK.
The new site will expand Caffè Nero’s partnership with Stansted Airport, taking the total number of sites it has at the airport to five.
