A 7 Brew Coffee giveaway choked traffic around the chain's US 42 stand in Florence on Sept. 7, a customer told WLWT.
The customer reported that drive-thru lines wrapped around the nearby Rempke building during the chain's nationwide "Jackpot Day" promotion. The event offered a free limited-edition "Brew Doh" squishy toy to anyone who bought two medium or large drinks. It ran from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or until supplies ran out.
Florence is home to two 7 Brew locations, at 8111 US 42 and 7303 Turfway Road. The US 42 stand sits in a busy commercial stretch where the chain's two-lane drive-thru design holds a maximum of 20 to 24 cars when both lanes are full, according to documents Brew Team KY filed with the Boone County Planning Commission in December 2024.
The customer-reported lines around the Rempke building stretched well beyond that footprint.
The backup was not unique to Florence. WLWT reported that at the Springboro, Ohio, location, customer Elizabeth Galan said police officers were directing traffic and the wait stretched at least 45 minutes. In Fort Wayne, Indiana, police warned drivers to find alternate routes, saying the promotion caused significant backups near their local 7 Brew.
The Brew Doh is a cube-shaped squishy with miniature 7 Brew logos floating inside the gel. The toys have become popular collectibles among kids and adults.
7 Brew operates more than 800 drive-thru stands across 38 states, according to a Business Wire release cited by Pirates and Princesses. The Springdale, Arkansas-based chain has opened more than 500 locations since 2023. In the Greater Cincinnati area, the chain had seven locations as of July. Those include the two in Florence, one in Newport and stands in Symmes Township, Forestville, Hamilton and West Chester Township, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
The Florence City Council approved the Turfway Road location in May 2025, greenlighting a 543-square-foot drive-through-only shop and a 277-square-foot storage structure for Brew Team KY, LLC, according to council meeting minutes.
One reviewer of the Turfway Road location, Jonathon Glass, noted in a June review that wait times spike on merchandise and specialty promotion days.
7 Brew's next giveaway is set for Sept. 29, National Coffee Day, when the chain plans to hand out limited-edition state license plate stickers at all locations.
