The Fix Drive Thru Coffee is not just for your morning coffee run anymore. Known for its java on the go, friendly service with a smile, uplifting message, and overall positive vibes, The Fix is serving healthy food now too.
“We offer blueberry and gluten-free banana nut muffins, a snickerdoodle cookie, and a raspberry oat bar,” said Stevie Stewart, overseeing manager of The Fix’s locations in Tempe and Mesa.
In addition to the muffins, they also offer three types of gluten-free oatmeal through a partnership with Noble, a local bakery.
“I am ordering food every couple of days to keep it fresh,” Stevie said. “The muffins are really popular.”
Food is a bit of a new entrée for The Fix, but not nearly as fresh as their new, locally roasted coffee called The Heartbeat Blend, which they are now labeling and selling themselves through a partnership with a local roaster. Stevie said sales of this smooth, nutty Brazilian roast have been on the rise since customers discovered it and are especially excited that they can buy a bag to enjoy in their own kitchen.
“We have had good feedback on now being able to brew it at home,” Stevie said. “It’s cool because it’s local andwe can have it fresh.”
The Fix Drive Thru Coffee is a family affair. Stevie and her brother Hunter, who had the idea to start a coffee stand, keep both locations humming with coffee and food. Mom and Dad (Matt and Darcy) work behind the scenes, as parents often do, to make sure both stores have the items they need and stay ahead of demand.
The Fix is still the local go-to for your morning shot of caffeine, no matter how you choose to get it, and customers have been choosing different methods as the options expand.
“We have a plant-based energy drink that is extremely popular,” Stevie said. “It is a more natural energy drink that doesn’t leave people with jitters or some kind of weird after-effects that other energy drinks can do.”
She said the energy drinks are made from green coffee and still have the same amount of caffeine that a traditional energy drink does, without the downsides.
A new month means a new list of drink specials at The Fix. Whether it be coffee, tea, or one of those energy drinks, Stevie says customers look forward to trying something new. There are at least three on the list.
“We mix it up every month,” she said. “We have one in March, and we are naming it the Nutty Irishman. It is a Hazelnut Irish cold brew with crème.”
When the Stewarts opened their first stand in Tempe, they adopted the motto Satisfy Your Soul. Beyond serving popular drinks and food, at which they have become extremely efficient and popular, The Fix still has the same mission that it had four years ago when it opened.
Stevie said they still live by that motto and take it seriously, striving to make a difference every day, even if they are just serving a cup of coffee to someone rushing through the drive-thru on their way to work or running errands.
“We believe that we have something to offer people,” she said. “Whether that be to just kick start their day or to have genuine conversation and relationship, we want our customers ultimately to feel noticed and wanted.”
The Fix is also very involved in the community that it serves. Take Doggy Days for instance, when The Fix donates a dollar to a local animal rescue for every dog that comes through the line, with their human in tow of course.
They also routinely have a presence around town, such as their recent appearance at Sunshine Acres Children’s Home. Stevie credits community involvement with helping The Fix weather tough times, especially during the pandemic, when the economy came to a screeching halt.
“We try to stay relevant to our communities in both Tempe and Mesa. We really have a local feel, and I feel like people are really attracted to that,” she said. “We know they have a choice to go anywhere for their coffee and they are choosing us, and we try to provide excellent service.”
The Fix Drive Thru Coffee is located at 5135 E. McKellips Road in Mesa. For more information, visit thefixdtcoffee.com.
