Skip to content

Thursday, Sep 10, 2026

Did long coffee lines prompt a police response in SD?


yes

Traffic disruptions were reported in at least two cities in response to a Sept. 7 promotion at 7 Brew, a national coffee chain.

Rapid City officers worked with 7 Brew staff to mitigate traffic issues, said police public information officer Brendyn Medina.

In Sioux Falls, police received two non-emergency calls regarding a traffic jam caused by 7 Brew customers, said Aaron Benson, Sioux Falls police public information officer.

The drive-thru coffee chain hosts a promotion monthly on the 7th. This month, customers that bought two medium or large drinks also got a free 7 Brew-branded squishy toy.

The promotion caused long lines at locations across the country. People voiced their frustration on social media and shared photos and videos of some lines that stretched for miles.

7 Brew also has a location in Watertown, which opened in June, but police did not respond to a call for comment.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

About fact briefs

Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by newsrooms in the Gigafact network.

See all fact briefs