‘It’s an experience’: Lincoln coffee shops work hard to combat rise in drive-thru options

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Local coffee shops are having to get creative to keep up with a surge in drive-thru locations.

The rise of convenient coffee is making it tough on business owners.

“As a culture, we’re getting lazier, and so we’d rather sit and waste gas in a line to get some coffee than get some exercise and walk in,” Mark Shriner said.

Shriner owns The Coffee House on P Street in downtown Lincoln, which has been there for almost 40 years.

He said lately, he’s had to work hard to stay competitive with chain stores.

“We’re trying to compete with that with good service, a great product, good pricing,” he said.

Shriner said that going into a coffee shop also provides a unique atmosphere.

“It’s an experience with getting to know the person who’s making your coffee. It’s an excursion, I guess; it’s a treat,” he said. “And that’s how it should be. We want our customers to come in in a good mood, but leave in a better mood.”

He’s been thinking of doing a value menu, as you might find at a chain place.

“We’re going to try to come up with some menu items that give people a decent amount of product for a decent price,” Shriner said.

But despite the convenience of a drive-thru, Shriner wants to remind people that it can be worth your time to invest locally.

“We sure appreciate when people do,” he said. “And I tell my employees all the time; every single customer matters.”