Coffee Fest Chicago 2026 Recap

We made it to Coffee Fest Chicago

Last week, the Dripos team packed up and headed to Navy Pier for Coffee Fest Chicago. Two days on the show floor surrounded by independent coffee shop owners, operators, roasters, and the people who love this industry as much as we do.

It's hard to overstate how energizing an event like this is. Coffee Fest draws the people who are actually in it — the owners juggling five hats before 9 a.m., the operators thinking through their next location, the baristas who are serious about the craft. That's exactly who Dripos is built for, and getting to meet them face to face is something no email campaign can replicate.

We spent two days at booth 600 having real conversations — about what's working, what's frustrating, what independent shops actually need from their technology. Some of the most useful things that came out of Coffee Fest weren't what we said, but what we heard. This community doesn't hold back, and we're better for it.

We also got to connect with some of our existing customers who made the trip, which is always a good reminder of why we do this work.

Chicago delivered, too. If you've never been to Navy Pier in June, add it to the list. We'll be back. And if you're planning to attend Coffee Fest in your city, come find us — we'd love to talk shop. We'll be at Coffee Fest LA in August! See you there.