Costa Coffee has announced the opening of its 400th UK drive-thru store. The new site, located at Norwich Broadway Enterprise Park, forms part of Costa’s broader push to expand its presence in on-the-go locations, with the business planning to open up to 40 additional drive-thru stores across the UK in 2026.

Costa said the format is playing an increasingly important role in the evolution of its estate, as consumers continue to prioritise speed, accessibility and convenience in their coffee habits.

Nick Ridley, property and store development director at Costa Coffee, said: “Drive-thrus are one of the fastest-growing parts of our retail estate, and play an important role in meeting changing customer missions. For many customers it’s about convenience – grabbing a coffee on the commute, during the school run or while travelling.”

The coffee chain currently operates more than 2,800 stores across the UK, spanning high streets, retail parks, shopping centres, transport hubs and drive-thru locations. While drive-thrus remain a key growth area, Costa stressed that the format is designed to complement rather than replace its wider estate.

“Our coffee shops remain central to the Costa Coffee experience,” Ridley said. “Drive-thrus are not a replacement for the high street – they complement our wider estate by serving different moments in a customer’s day and helping us reach customers where they want us to be.”

Alongside new store openings, Costa is continuing to invest heavily in its existing footprint. Over the past year, the business has refurbished more than 110 high street locations, as well as more than 100 stores in shopping centres and retail parks, as part of a wider programme to improve customer experience across its portfolio.

Costa opened its first UK drive-thru in 2011 and says it has since played a leading role in shaping the category. According to industry data from Allegra, the number of drive-thru coffee sites in the UK has grown by 6.7 per cent over the past 12 months, with nearly 50 per cent of consumers ordering coffee from one in 2025.

The business said its early move into the format has helped it build a strong pipeline of sites across the UK, with many drive-thru locations positioned alongside full coffee shops to give customers a choice between dine-in and takeaway.

However, Costa acknowledged that bringing forward new drive-thru sites is becoming more difficult, as operators compete for the same high-quality roadside locations.

Ridley said: “Developing drive-thru sites requires navigating a range of challenges, from securing suitable roadside locations to managing planning constraints, rising construction costs, and timelines which can often extend to several years.

“Competition for prime sites remains intense, with multiple operators targeting the same high-quality locations, placing upward pressure on rents and increasing the importance of early site identification and strong partner relationships.”

Despite those pressures, Costa said it still sees substantial headroom for growth in the format and will continue working with developers, landlords and property agents to identify new opportunities.

The latest opening forms part of a wider investment programme across Costa’s UK estate, which includes new stores, relocations and a significant pipeline of refurbishments as it responds to shifting consumer behaviour.

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