Locals may complain about crowded intersections around the Wilmington area, but the steady flow of vehicles near the intersection of Market Street and Gordon Road was a draw for the owners of a drive-thru coffee shop planning to open this spring.  
 
Scooter’s Coffee, a franchise with Midwestern roots, snagged a currently undeveloped spot at 6851 Market St., where owner Morgan Deberry said the business will start serving customers as soon as May 1. Deberry and his business partner traveled around the state to find the right spot for their first Scooter’s location, ultimately settling on Wilmington as their top choice.
 
“We loved Wilmington. It’s a very welcoming town. It’s a busy town, and it seems to be a growing town, which is really exciting,” Deberry said.
 
A nod to the business’s namesake, Scooter’s plans to provide quick, convenient drive-thru service. Deberry said he aims for the business to serve about 100 customers per hour from the 664-square-foot kiosk that will be constructed at the site.
 
“We want to be very fast. That’s where the name Scooter’s came from: scoot in, scoot out,” Deberry said, adding that orders placed through Scooter’s mobile app can be fulfilled even faster than those ordered on-site.
 
Scooter’s sources coffee from the top 10% of specialty coffee beans worldwide through longstanding working relationships with coffee farmers. Scooter’s house blend is a medium roast coffee with tasting notes of berry, dark chocolate and molasses, but light and dark roasts are also available for customers. In addition to brewed coffee, Scooter’s serves classic espresso drinks like an americano, cappuccino, latte or mocha.
 
The best seller is Scooter’s signature Caramelicious, a caramel latte that can be ordered hot, iced or blended.
 
“It’s not too overly sweet, and you can’t go wrong with caramel,” Deberry said.
 
Another treat for caramel fans is the fresh-baked Caramelicious muffin, one of the most popular pastries sold by the business. Other top sellers include blueberry muffins and cinnamon rolls, all served warm.
 
A menu of savory handheld breakfast fare is available all day at Scooter’s. Think eggs, cheese and the customer’s choice of spicy sausage or bacon stuffed into a burrito or sandwiched between halves of an everything bagel or a fluffy biscuit. A sweet and savory mash-up, the Maple Waffle Sandwich layers eggs, cheddar cheese and spicy sausage between two waffles.
 
The business plans to hire between 15 and 20 people to staff the kiosk. Friendly service is a key feature of the Scooter’s model, and Deberry said he looks forward to assembling a strong team in Wilmington this spring.
 
“That’s where it all starts and that’s what’s going to be the most important to me,” he said.
 
Have a tip for Restaurant Roundup? Email us at [email protected]