Brookfield halts future plans for drive-thru only restaurants

A coffee stand chain will be the last of the drive-thru-only restaurants coming to Brookfield after city officials passed an ordinance requiring indoor dining space for all incoming eating establishments.

All casual restaurants with pickup windows and drive-thrus must have at least 600 square feet of dining area space, according to the ordinance.

A proposal for a 7 Brew coffee stand at 1200 S. Moorland Road sparked the idea of requiring seating space for diners when officials brought up concerns about pedestrian accommodation at a July Plan Commission meeting. Though drive-thru only establishments are prohibited from now on, the coffee stand will remain an exception.

“7 Brews was the impetus for this change,” said Alderman Mike Hallquist, one of the city officials who pushed for the rule. “While that development will of course be allowed, future drive-thrus of that nature without indoor dining would not.”

The incoming coffee stand will be around 510 square feet, city records showed. Design 2 Construct was listed as the construction manager, CJ Engineering signed site plans and Veritas Architecture & Design submitted plan samples.

7 Brew has 41 stands in different southern and southeastern states, including Missouri, Texas, Florida, Louisiana and Texas.