Dutch Bros CEO Completes Shop Training
Christine Barone finished a required two-week shop training stint, where store employees corrected her mistakes.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Coffee
Dutch Bros CEO Christine Barone completed shop training as part of a two-week requirement for senior leadership. Store employees knew she was CEO and pointed out her mistakes during the training.
Why it matters
The requirement extends senior leadership and headquarters staff in marketing and beverage development to hands-on shop work, reflecting the company's practice of training operators as certified broistas. The company operates 1,273 systemwide locations across 27 states.
Dutch Bros reported 1,273 systemwide locations across 27 states as of Sept. 30, 2026, and projects about 250 total system shop openings in 2027. The company's two-week shop training requirement applies to all members of its senior leadership team.
The players
Christine Barone
Christine Barone is the chief executive officer of Dutch Bros, the drive-through coffee chain known for its beverage menu and hands-on operational culture.
Levi Ayriss
Levi Ayriss is the Senior Vice President of Field Operations at Dutch Bros, responsible for overseeing the company's shop operations.
The details
Dutch Bros requires all members of its senior leadership team to complete a two-week shop training requirement, which extends to headquarters employees involved in marketing and beverage development. Senior Vice President of Field Operations Levi Ayriss described the requirement at a March 27, 2025, investor day.
Timeline
March 27, 2025: Levi Ayriss described the two-week shop training requirement at investor day.
Sept. 30, 2026: Dutch Bros reported 1,273 systemwide locations across 27 states.
2027: Dutch Bros projects about 250 total system shop openings.
Culture Shift
Dutch Bros' requirement that senior leaders work shifts as certified broistas extends the company's existing model, under which regional operators must start their careers behind the counter. The approach places executives in the same daily operational role as the baristas they manage across its 1,273 locations.
Customers visiting Dutch Bros shops may encounter senior leaders working behind the counter as certified broistas, depending on their location. The training model reflects how the company develops its operators from the shop floor up.
The takeaway
Training executives on the shop floor keeps leadership grounded in the daily work of making drinks and serving customers. Readers who visit Dutch Bros can expect staff trained through the broista certification path.
What happens next
Dutch Bros projects about 250 total system shop openings in 2027.
Further reading
For more on the chain's growth and drink culture, explore Coffee coverage.
