Have You Seen the Line at 7 Brew? Bettendorf Is Looking at A Fix

Have you seen the line at 7 Brew in Bettendorf lately? It’s starting to look a little like the Atomic on Brady Street in Davenport...except instead of waiting in a line wrapped around a parking lot, the line is trailing down the busy street!

7 Brew Coffee in Bettendorf, Iowa

The 7 Brew location sits at the busy intersection of Middle Road and Devils Glen Road and opened back in April. Because the drive-thru doesn't have an additional parking lot, things can get backed up pretty quickly when business gets busy.

And Bettendorf city leaders are taking notice.

Coffee AND Squishies? That Caused a BIG Backup

The biggest traffic headache happened September 7 during a 7 Brew promotion with toy company NeeDoh. Customers who made a purchase could get a free toy, and apparently, people REALLY wanted that little squishy toy.

The promotion became so popular that traffic spilled out of the 7 Brew area and backed up along Middle Road all the way toward Palmer Hills Golf Course.

Bettendorf Community Development Director Mark Hunt told city leaders that the promotion was expected to cause about a 25% increase in traffic. Instead, he estimated it brought closer to a 200% increase.

Bettendorf Is Trying to Figure Out a Fix

The September 7 promotion was a nationwide event that went viral, so city officials don't necessarily expect every day at 7 Brew to look like that.

Still, the traffic situation has raised some questions about what happens when the coffee shop gets extremely busy.

The Bettendorf Police Department is looking at possible ways to improve traffic flow, while city leaders are also considering what they can do if backups continue.

Could the Exit Change?

One idea being discussed is adding more signs around the area to help direct traffic.

Another possibility is making the 7 Brew exit a right-turn-only lane, which could help keep cars moving and prevent the drive-thru line from creating an even bigger traffic mess.

Four Chains That Don't Use Real Pumpkin in Their Pumpkin Spice Lattes

We've entered pumpkin spice season, which makes summer-lovers cringe . . . while fall-lovers are trying to pretend they don't have the A.C. on, while they get out their pinecone- and pumpkin-themed decorations.

Here's a question for pumpkin spice latte aficionados: Do you care if your PSL contains ACTUAL pumpkin . . . or are you fine with whatever ingredients are in that delicious, mysterious pumpkin spice syrup?

TheTakout.com has a list of FOUR chains that DON'T use real pumpkin in their PSLs. They are:

Filed Under: Bettendorf