Fast-growing drive-thru coffee chain 7 Brew has emerged as the successful bidder for 73 former Salad and Go locations, offering approximately $143.2 million for the sites after Dutch Bros declined to increase its competing $105 million offer.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA (Sept. 2, 2026) — Dozens of former Salad and Go drive-thru restaurants could soon become 7 Brew coffee stands following a bankruptcy auction that gives the rapidly expanding coffee chain a major new presence across Arizona and three other states.
Arkansas-based 7 Brew was named the successful bidder for 73 Salad and Go locations with an offer of approximately $143.2 million, according to bankruptcy court filings.
The portfolio includes locations in Arizona, Texas, Nevada and Oklahoma, with Arizona accounting for the largest share of the properties.
The transaction is not yet final. A hearing on the proposed sale is scheduled for September 21 before U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Alfredo R. Pérez in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
The auction represents a significant change from the deal contemplated when Salad and Go filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on August 4.
At that time, Tempe-based Dutch Bros Coffee had agreed to acquire the real estate interests and leases associated with as many as 65 Salad and Go locations for approximately $105 million.
7 Brew subsequently challenged the transaction and submitted competing offers, ultimately prompting an auction between two of the fastest-growing drive-thru beverage companies in the country.
Dutch Bros elected not to submit a higher bid.
“New shop growth is one of the most important drivers of our long-term strategy, and we remain highly confident in our path to 2,029 shops in 2029,” Dutch Bros President and CEO Christine Barone said in a company statement.
Barone said Dutch Bros remained committed to disciplined capital allocation and determined that increasing its original offer did not provide the return the company was seeking.
The decision opened the door for 7 Brew to take control of the portfolio, subject to bankruptcy court approval.
For 7 Brew, the acquisition would provide an unusually large block of existing drive-thru real estate in markets where suitable sites have become increasingly competitive.
The company has grown from approximately 40 locations at the end of 2022 to more than 800 locations nationwide and has become one of the country’s fastest-growing drive-thru beverage concepts.
7 Brew already has a small Arizona presence, with two locations in Tucson and one in Queen Creek, according to the company’s location directory. Acquiring the Salad and Go portfolio would dramatically expand that footprint.
The approximately $143.2 million winning offer equates to nearly $2 million per location on average, although the portfolio includes a combination of real estate interests and leasehold rights and individual site values vary substantially.
Salad and Go abruptly closed its remaining restaurants on August 5, one day after seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The Arizona-founded company, which began in Gilbert in 2013, had expanded to more than 140 locations at its peak before retrenching from several markets.
Its bankruptcy proceedings now include efforts to sell or assign numerous restaurant properties and leases to raise funds and eliminate ongoing obligations.
The 73-location package awarded to 7 Brew represents only part of Salad and Go’s real estate portfolio. Additional locations and leases are expected to be addressed separately through the bankruptcy process, potentially giving Dutch Bros and other operators another opportunity to acquire former Salad and Go sites.
If approved by the court, the 7 Brew transaction would also illustrate the increasing value of small-format drive-thru real estate, particularly sites that already have the access, circulation, entitlement and infrastructure needed for high-volume beverage concepts.
For operators such as 7 Brew and Dutch Bros, acquiring existing drive-thru sites can provide a much faster path to market than developing new locations from the ground up.
