Back to the Biz
Wall Street Journal's David Waner reported the challenges facing Starbuck's new wunderkind, Brian Niccol, who previously took Taco Bell and Chipotle to wild new heights. Waner suggests "A wave of coffee chains with national ambitions — not to mention fast-food chains including McDonald’s and Taco Bell — are undercutting Starbucks’ dominance. This competition reflects both the category’s growth and the realization across the restaurant industry that caffeinated beverages are simply too profitable to ignore. It is also being driven by evolving tastes, especially among members of Gen Z." Waner also wrote that the biggest competition is Des Moines' newest coffee shop, Dutch Bros, and their 1,000 (and growing exponentially) drive-thru shops. "Its formula is simple: brightly flavored, highly customizable drinks served by upbeat 'broistas' who try to remember your name and are probably on too much caffeine." Des Moines' Dutch Bros is under construction at 4800 S.E. 14th St.
Meanwhile, Starbucks’ employees in Des Moines and Iowa City went on strike.
Roughly 80% of beverage occasions are consumed on the go in the U.S., according to a Dutch Bros press release. They operate drive-thru only shops.
Deals today
• Cheese Shop in Shops at Roosevelt hosts a Champagne class tonight, $80 for seven sparkling wines with appetizers, caviar option $100. 6 p.m.
• Hy-Vee Market Grilles offer pulled pork stuffed baked potatoes on Mondays in December for $8.
• It's catfish night at Waterfront stores. Dinners cooked any way you like it, $19.99.
• Bubba (200 10th St.) has a Monday night sirloin dinner special for $20.
• Kelly's Little Nipper (1701 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines) offers a "Monday grind" special grinder and fries basket for $9.50.
• Monday brings prime rib specials to both Chicago Speakeasy (1520 Euclid Ave., Des Moines) and Christopher's (2816 Beaver Ave., Des Moines).
• Beaver Tap (4050 Urbandale Ave., Des Moines) has $8 omelets and $10 hot beef sandwiches or Mexican bowls on Mondays.
• Smoking Goat Pub (3015 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines) hosts Shelby Smokehouse Soul Food on Mondays, 5-9 p.m.
• G Mig's (126 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has $11 smashburgers today with a side.
• The Station on Ingersoll (3124 Ingersoll, Des Moines) has a Monday special Graziano grinder with a side for $12.
• The Continental (407 E. Fifth St., Des Moines) offers a Monday special double smashburger and shoestring fries, $12.
• Angry Goldfish (2301 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) has specials on chicken Parmesan and lasagna today, $15 with garlic bread and salad.
• Eastside Eddie’s (3517 E. 26th St., Des Moines) Monday special is a burger with domestic beer, soft drink or well drink for $10.
• Centro (1003 Locust St., Des Moines) offers half-price pizza and Peronis on Monday.
• Who's on First (810 E. First St., Ankeny) has steak night on Monday, and it's an 8-ounce filet with salad, mashed potatoes and beans for $22.95
• Tito’s Lounge (3916 Urbandale Drive, Urbandale) offers all-you-can-eat wings Mondays.
• Johnny's Hall of Fame (302 Court Ave., Des Moines) has $12 burger baskets on Mondays and Fridays.
• Urban Cellars (640 S. 50th St., West Des Moines) offers $60 wine dinners for two on Mondays including two entrees with soup or salad, a dessert and a bottle on wine.
• Club 2000 (422 Indianola Road, Des Moines) has a burger basket with fries deal Mondays for $9.
• Destination Grille (2491 E. First St., Grimes) has a Monday steak night special, sirloins and truffle fries for $18.
• Price Chopper delis offer two-piece, bone-in fried chicken dinners, with two sides and a roll, for $6 on Mondays.
• Fareways have specials through Saturday on broth and egg noodles at two for $1, 85/15 burger at $4.95/pound and avocados at 88 cents.
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com | 
