Starbucks’ announcement that it is opening a 3D-printed, drive-through only store in Brownsville, Texas, has some industry observers wondering if this could be the future of cafe construction.
The 1,400-square-foot structure was constructed using a giant robotic printer piping layers of concrete. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation lists the cost of the building at about $1.2 million. In comparison, typical ground-up construction for a restaurant can run anywhere from $749,000 to $2 million, according to a Fast Company article about the project.
The price tag could decrease as 3D printing becomes more common in building projects. The technology is fairly new, but a few projects have been completed with 3D printing, reportedly with cost benefits. Lennar, for example, built a 100-home community in Georgetown, Texas, using 3D printing and said costs dropped with each build.
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In an interview with CNBC earlier this year, Lennar chairman and co-CEO Stuart Miller said that using 3D printing can reduce costs and cycle time by half.
“This is a significant improvement in evolving a housing market that has the ability to change over time and being more adaptable and more functional in providing affordable and attainable housing for a broader swath of the market,” said Miller.
Anything that can save costs is gaining attention in the commercial real estate industry as prices for building materials continue to increase. Construction cost data tracking firm Gordian estimates materials costs have skyrocketed by 19% on average since 2020, and looming tariffs could push those prices even higher. The article also states that 3D printing is faster than traditional building methods, which creates opportunities to save on labor costs.
These advantages are driving momentum for 3D construction use around the world. A 3D-printed train station that took just six hours to build recently debuted in Japan. Peri-3D, the German company that built the new Starbucks store, has completed at least 15 European construction projects, including residential structures.
3D printing has entered the restaurant industry in other creative ways. Fast Company noted that the technology has been used to customize food and make restaurant furniture, but building restaurants with the technology is a new development.
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Kristen Smithberg
Kristen Smithberg is a Colorado-based freelance writer who covers commercial real estate, insurance, benefits and retirement topics for BenefitsPRO and other industry publications.
