Major coffee chain that closed almost 1,000 high street stores plans huge comeback

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, which once operated more than 1,100 cafés worldwide, has spent the past decade shrinking its presence across the United States amid changing consumer habits, rising costs and the fallout from the Covid pandemic

A leading coffee chain that significantly reduced its presence following years of closures is planning a resurgence as it seeks to rival competitors, including Starbucks.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, which previously ran over 1,100 cafés globally, has spent the last decade contracting its footprint throughout the United States amid shifting consumer preferences, escalating expenses and the aftermath of the Covid pandemic.

Despite the contraction, the firm is now forging ahead with strategies to expand the brand through fresh outlets, menu developments and customer reward programmes.

Established in Southern California in 1963, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf developed into one of the planet’s biggest coffee and tea chains, establishing a footprint across the US, Asia and the Middle East.

Nevertheless, the business has consistently scaled back its domestic operations in recent years, reports the Express.

The chain withdrew from Manhattan in 2016 when all 12 of its New York branches shut down, while scores more shops vanished during and following the pandemic.

Currently, the firm runs 192 outlets across 12 US states, with the majority of surviving cafés based in California.

Yet while its conventional high street presence has diminished, the company is backing a distinct approach for future expansion.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf anticipates roughly 80% of its future sites will function in non-traditional environments such as airports, hospitals and university campuses. The firm has also introduced a redesigned loyalty scheme and broadened its retail range, including coffee capsules that work with Nespresso machines.

Most recently, it launched a new collection of premium espresso beverages under its “Perfect Americano” menu, while introducing a series of promotional deals designed to appeal to budget-minded customers.

The recovery push arrives as rivalry intensifies throughout the coffee industry, with chains competing for customers amid increasing living expenses and evolving consumer preferences.

Despite difficulties in the US market, parent firm Jollibee Food Corporation reported The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf achieved 10.7% year-on-year systemwide sales growth during the first quarter of 2026.

The brand is also continuing to grow internationally, with most new sites opening across Asia.

The difference underlines the chain’s shifting approach: fewer conventional cafés, but a fresh drive for expansion through new formats, new products and growth in key markets.

Following years of closures and market withdrawals, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is now gambling that its transformation can enable it to compete once more with coffee giants such as Starbucks.