Why Tinley Park’s Bean ‘N Breek Said ‘No’ to the Drive-Thru Model
There is no drive-thru at Bean ‘N Breek. That’s intentional. Everything, much like the custom coffee blend, is done thoughtfully. And it’s clear Miriam Ayyad, the co-owner of the shop, along with her husband, are doing something worth noting for anyone trying to break into a saturated space like the coffee business.
“My husband and I are the owners of this shop,” said a proud Ayyad. “He has over 16 years of barista experience from overseas. He’s from Jerusalem. And he has a passion for coffee.”
Before opening their doors nearly two years ago, the couple decided they’d make their own espresso blend from scratch. The blend combines three origins and is exclusive to Bean ‘N Breek. It was a real trial and error process. Working with a local roaster. Going back and forth. The feedback process: ‘‘No, we need more notes of this or less notes of that.’”
The process required roasting, re-roasting and waiting days before each new test could even be pulled. “It wasn’t frustrating. It was meticulous. We didn’t just say, ‘Oh, it’s been so long… let this be the roast.’ No. We made sure that we really loved what we put in our beans.”
Bean ‘N Breek slowed things down in more ways than one.
The coffee industry, outside of Bean ‘N Breek, is a place where convenience has increasingly shaped the model. Like drive-through lanes, fast turnover, and grab-and-go culture.
Starbucks, which opened its first drive-thru in 1994, grew rapidly over the 2010s as those drive-thru and convenience options expanded. But by the mid 2010s, the company faced long periods of declining foot traffic and flat-to-negative same-store sales. The drive-thru was a short-term win, but a long-term loss in connection and comfort.
It’s clear Bean ‘N Breek chose a different route.
“We wanted to be a face-to-face business, bring back the roots of what it is,” Ayyad said.
Bean ‘N Breek does not have a drive-through. By design. That intentionality shows up in how they treat regulars. “Once we see their car drive past us, we start making their drink,” she said. “We know them by their name, they know us. We hear one part of the story, and the next day we’re like, ‘What happened? Tell us the rest?’ We genuinely care for the people we serve.”
That’s what made Bean ‘N Breek the perfect place to host an iteration of the Southland Development Authority’s (SDA’s) Coffee Connections community event.
“We’re very much community friendly and community driven,” Ayyad said. “We are very grateful for the SDA having their event here,” she continued. The sponsored event “brought in a lot of foot traffic,” and more importantly, gave her a chance to network with other professionals.
She continues to stay connected with BGS Relationship Manager Jamie Makuch. “Jamie’s amazing. I love Jamie,” Ayyad said. “She was kind of steering me in different directions, like, ‘partner up with this, collaborate with that’. We’re impacting each other every week.”
Competition in coffee is intense. “Very saturated market,” Ayyad acknowledged. But she isn’t intimidated. Bean ‘N Breek is betting on something slower. Craftsmanship, conversation and community - which fit right in with the Coffee Connections theme.
And Ayyad is confident it will last.
About the Southland Development Authority
The Southland Development Authority, a not-for-profit economic development organization, is committed to driving equitable and sustainable economic growth in the south suburbs of Chicago. Through innovative programs, strategic partnerships, and impactful direct investments, the SDA is building a vibrant, inclusive economy that drives wealth growth for individuals, businesses and municipalities. Combined with the benefits of the South Suburban Land Bank and the Monarch Fund, the SDA serves as a model for regional development.
