Chick-fil-A Daybright Beverage Concept: Everything You Need to Know in 2025
If you’ve heard whispers about Chick-fil-A opening a “coffee shop,” you’re probably wondering what it’s all about. People everywhere are asking, What exactly is the Chick-fil-A Daybright beverage concept?
Launched in Fall 2025, Daybright is a standalone café brand under Red Wagon Ventures, Chick-fil-A’s innovation division.
The first location opened in Hiram, Georgia, running Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m.; 9 p.m., offering protein coffees, smoothies, juices, and breakfast bites, all without chicken. It’s designed to tap into the growing speciality beverage market while keeping the brand’s warmth and hospitality intact.
In this article, you’ll find everything about Daybright, its story, location, hours, strategy, customer reactions, and what this bold launch means for Chick-fil-A’s future. For a quick look at the brand’s current offerings, check out the latest Chick-fil-A Menu Prices to see how Daybright’s concept compares.
What is Chick-fil-A Daybright Beverage?
Daybright is the new Chick-fil-A Daybright beverage concept, a fresh, standalone café designed to explore life beyond chicken. It’s a bold step by Chick-fil-A’s innovation arm, Red Wagon Ventures, known for testing creative restaurant ideas.
Daybright focuses purely on drinks, built for people who love comfort, calm mornings, and flavorful sips instead of meals. Think of it as Chick-fil-A’s friendly cousin that serves inspiration in a cup.
Key Facts at a Glance
Category | Details |
|---|---|
Brand Name | Daybright, a new beverage-first café concept by Chick-fil-A’s innovation arm, Red Wagon Ventures. |
Location | The first café opened in Hiram, Georgia, at 4326 Jimmy Lee Smith Parkway. |
Launch Year | 2025 (pilot phase launched in Fall 2025 as confirmed by People.com). |
Menu Focus | Offers coffees, smoothies, fizzes, and juices, completely chicken-free, a first in Chick-fil-A history. |
Signature Item | Protein Coffee, containing over 30g of protein, has quickly become the most talked-about menu item online. |
Parent Team | Operated by Red Wagon Ventures, Chick-fil-A’s innovation and experimental division. |
Purpose | Created to test a beverage-only business model with strong morning and afternoon traffic potential. |
Vision | Aims to blend café culture with Chick-fil-A hospitality, building a lifestyle experience beyond food. |
Hours | Typically, Mon–Sat: 6 a.m.–9 p.m., Closed Sundays (same as Chick-fil-A tradition). |
Format | Dual drive-thru + dine-in café format designed for both commuters and sit-down customers. |
Status | Currently a test location; expansion plans to other U.S. cities depend on pilot performance. |
Ownership | Wholly owned by Chick-fil-A, but branded separately under Red Wagon Ventures for flexibility. |
Supplier Note | Sources coffee through Thrive Farmers, the same ethical supplier used by Chick-fil-A. |
Business Goal | Capture morning/snack-hour markets without diluting Chick-fil-A’s chicken-focused core brand. |
Why Did Chick-fil-A Launch Daybright?
1: Industry Context: Growth of Speciality Beverages & Competition
The quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry is experiencing a beverage boom. Speciality coffees, protein smoothies, and wellness drinks are driving consistent growth.
According to marketers, beverage-first brands enjoy higher profit margins and repeat visits compared to meal-only chains. Drinks are easier to produce and are bought more often.
Major players like Starbucks, Dutch Bros, and McDonald’s are all chasing the same “morning + snack hour” rush. These days, parts create habits, not just purchases.
By launching Daybright, Chick-fil-A steps into a booming category built on ritual, caffeine, and convenience, without touching its chicken-based menu.
2: Company Background: Red Wagon Ventures & the Innovation Pipeline
Red Wagon Ventures is Chick-fil-A’s innovation hub, created to test big ideas beyond its regular restaurant model (People.com). The name comes from S. Truett Cathy’s childhood red wagon, symbolising creativity and forward-thinking.
This team previously piloted concepts like Little Blue Menu and Kefi, both designed to explore future customer trends. With Daybright, they’re testing whether Chick-fil-A’s warmth and hospitality can thrive in a modern beverage café format.
It’s innovation with a safety net, freedom to experiment without risking the parent brand’s identity.
3: Strategic Goals: Capturing Mornings Without Diluting the Core Brand
Chick-fil-A already owns lunch and dinner traffic. What’s left? Early mornings and midday snack hours, two untapped, high-margin periods.
Daybright fills that space with a fresh tone, targeting coffee lovers, commuters, and remote workers seeking fast comfort. The separate brand identity prevents menu confusion while protecting Chick-fil-A’s chicken legacy. It’s a clear, clever brand architecture.
4: Why Now? (Market Timing & Consumer Shifts)
Rising inflation has made food costs unpredictable, but beverages remain profitable and affordable luxuries. Customers are craving quick energy boosts over full meals, driving the rise of cold brews, smoothies, and protein drinks.
Launching Daybright now helps Chick-fil-A diversify revenue and stay relevant as dining habits shift toward convenience and all-day coffee culture. It’s a smart, low-risk move, blending market logic with emotional comfort.
5: Is Daybright a Chick-fil-A Restaurant?
Not exactly. Daybright is owned by Chick-fil-A but operated through Red Wagon Ventures, a standalone, beverage-first café brand. It focuses on drinks, light bites, and a relaxed, modern café experience instead of chicken sandwiches or nuggets.
The Story Behind Chick-fil-A Daybright Concept
1: The Meaning Behind the Name
The name “Daybright” captures what mornings feel like at their best: calm, clear, and full of promise. It symbolizes energy, optimism, and bright starts, perfectly matching Chick-fil-A’s cheerful and service-driven culture.
While Chick-fil-A has always focused on good food and good days, Daybright reimagines that spirit for the coffee world. It’s not just about drinks, it’s about giving people a brighter start to their day.
2: The Timeline
Daybright was announced publicly in September 2025, with its first café opening later that fall in Hiram, Georgia (Restaurant Dive, 2025). This opening marked the brand’s official entry into the beverage-first market, backed by Red Wagon Ventures’ innovation lab.
The pilot phase will continue through 2026, as Chick-fil-A studies customer feedback, menu performance, and operational efficiency. If results meet expectations, Daybright could expand to other U.S. cities in 2026 and beyond.
3: Part of Chick-fil-A’s Broader Innovation Journey
Daybright isn’t Chick-fil-A’s first experiment; it follows earlier test projects like Little Blue Menu, a delivery-focused virtual brand. Through Red Wagon Ventures, Chick-fil-A explores new ideas without disrupting its core restaurant model.
This allows them to adapt to changing customer habits, from digital ordering to the rise of speciality coffee culture. Daybright represents the next step in that journey, pushing Chick-fil-A into new territory while staying rooted in hospitality.
4: More Than Just a Menu
Understanding Daybright’s story helps readers see more than a menu; it’s about how legacy brands evolve.
By blending innovation, nostalgia, and customer insight, Chick-fil-A shows how to grow without losing what made it special. That’s why Daybright feels familiar yet fresh; it’s a thoughtful evolution, not a rebrand.
Chick-fil-A Daybright Location, Hours & Format
The first Chick-fil-A Daybright beverage concept opened in Hiram, Georgia, at 4326 Jimmy Lee Smith Parkway, a calm suburb west of Atlanta. This pilot café serves as the testing hub for Chick-fil-A’s new drink-focused future, run under its innovation branch, Red Wagon Ventures.
Daybright welcomes guests Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., following Chick-fil-A’s long-standing Sunday tradition. The store’s dual drive-through design reflects Chick-fil-A’s operational strength, while a cozy dine-in café area offers a slower, relaxed experience.
Inside, the atmosphere blends coffeehouse comfort with Chick-fil-A hospitality, natural wood, soft light, and friendly morning energy. This isn’t just another restaurant. It’s a beverage-only model built to study how coffee, smoothies, and juices can drive steady daily visits.
Every guest order helps the team understand how people respond to a Chick-fil-A coffee shop, shaping potential expansion plans for 2026. For now, Daybright Hiram GA, remains a single test location, but its performance could define Chick-fil-A’s next national concept.
What Kind of Menu & Experience to Expect?
Daybright focuses on drinks that energize mornings and refresh afternoons. It’s Chick-fil-A’s first beverage-first café, not a chicken outlet.
You’ll find protein coffees, cold brews, cold-pressed juices, fizzes, smoothies, and teas, crafted for both taste and balance (Delish). The protein coffee is a star item, offering up to 31.7 grams of protein, ideal for post-gym or busy mornings.
Light food options include oven-baked donuts, English muffins, burritos, and “pocketfulls.” Everything feels fresh, warm, and wholesome. Their coffee comes from Thrive Farmers, the same ethical source Chick-fil-A proudly partners with.
You won’t see chicken sandwiches, nuggets, or fried items here. It’s a pure café experience built around wellness and calm energy. Inside, the vibe is cosy and modern, filled with warm lighting, upbeat music, and sleek digital menu boards.
What Daybright Serves on the Menu?
Category | Popular Items | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Protein Coffees | Vanilla Protein Cold Brew, Mocha Protein Latte | Up to 31.7g protein, smooth blends |
Cold Brews & Fizzes | Citrus Fizz, Spiced Cold Brew | Lightly carbonated, refreshing |
Cold-Pressed Juices | Bright Greens, Golden Glow | Made fresh daily, nutrient-rich |
Smoothies | Berry Balance, Mango Rise | Fruit-forward, dairy or almond milk options |
Teas & Wellness Drinks | Hibiscus Tea, Iced Chai | Low-sugar, caffeine-balanced |
Light Breakfasts | Oven-Baked Donuts, English Muffins, Burritos, Pocketfulls | Simple, handheld morning foods |
What It Doesn’t Serve
No chicken. No fries. No sauces.
Just clean energy drinks, light bites, and a calm morning escape.
How Chick-fil-A Daybright Compares to Other Beverage Chains
The Chick-fil-A Daybright beverage concept enters a crowded market, yet it feels fresh, balanced, and intentionally different. It blends protein-rich drinks, clean energy, and Chick-fil-A’s signature hospitality, standing between traditional coffeehouses and wellness cafés.
Here’s how Daybright compares to leading beverage chains in 2025 👇
Comparison Table
Brand | Focus | What Daybright Adds |
|---|---|---|
Starbucks | Premium coffee, artisan pastries | Chick-fil-A’s service charm + high-protein coffee blends |
Dutch Bros | Energy drinks, drive-thru vibe | Balanced nutrition + trusted, family-friendly brand |
CosMc’s (McDonald’s) | Fun, sweet, social-media drinks | Wellness-driven menu backed by Red Wagon Ventures innovation |
Dunkin’ | Mainstream coffee and snacks | Niche focuses on protein, juices, and cold-pressed freshness |
In short, the Daybright café experience takes Chick-fil-A’s warmth and infuses it into a modern, wellness-forward beverage world.
What Customers Are Saying (Early Reactions)
What They Liked
“The restaurant gives off a bit of a Chick-fil-A vibe with its design, friendly service, and overall customer experience.” Debbie Wolfe, Allrecipes
“This might be my new favourite place in the morning… It doesn’t have that over-sugary, over-sweet artificial taste.” TikTok user @1.o6am (via Cheapism) Cheapism
“While the offerings may have been different- Daybright still gave that … Chick-fil-A customer experience we’ve all come to know and love.” @shahara__k (via Cheapism) Cheapism
What Needs Work
“Went today. Overall not bad, but could be much better. Smoothies were more like pudding.” Reddit user on r/ChickFilA Reddit
“This is not what I want from Chick-fil-A. Just change the fries back…” Reddit user on a new concept thread Reddit
Overall sentiment:
- Curiosity is high: many users are intrigued by the new Chick-fil-A Daybright beverage concept as a coffee/juice alternative.
- Praise is strong for the protein coffee and lighter-feel menu items.
- Some feedback is cautious: a few users felt smoothies lacked sweetness, and some novelty items need refinement.
- Common theme: It’s seen as a “Chick-fil-A without chicken” experiment, interesting, different, and worth watching.
What Daybright Means for Fans & the Industry?
For Chick-fil-A fans:
Daybright introduces a new way to start mornings, familiar service, new flavours, and a relaxing café vibe.
For coffee and smoothie lovers:
It’s a bold alternative to Starbucks or Dutch Bros, offering balanced protein drinks and cold-pressed juices.
For the quick-service industry:
The concept shows how Chick-fil-A is using Red Wagon Ventures to test beverage-focused revenue models with higher margins.
For international readers (UK, Pakistan, and beyond):
If Daybright performs well in the U.S., similar beverage-only cafés might expand to global markets soon.
Overall takeaway:
The Chick-fil-A Daybright beverage concept isn’t just another coffee shop, it’s a strategic move redefining how QSR brands serve mornings.
Closure
I visited Daybright out of pure curiosity, and honestly, it felt like stepping into a new side of Chick-fil-A. The café was bright, calm, and full of morning energy, exactly what the name promises.
The Chick-fil-A Daybright beverage concept isn’t just about coffee or smoothies; it’s a smart experiment blending warmth, wellness, and modern convenience. Their protein coffee surprised me most, smooth, filling, and nothing like the sugary drinks you find elsewhere.
This isn’t a random launch. Chick-fil-A is testing how to serve morning customers without losing its signature care. If you’re anywhere near Hiram, Georgia, it’s absolutely worth a stop.
For everyone else, keep an eye out, Daybright might soon brighten mornings far beyond Georgia.