By Michael Shemtoub, trial attorney, Beverly Law. Updated November 2026.
Burned because of someone else?
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What to do after a Scooter’s Coffee burn
- Cool the burn once you have pulled away from the window. For a minor burn with unbroken skin, run cool water, not ice water, over it for at least 5 to 30 minutes, and do not pull off clothing stuck to the skin (MedlinePlus).
- Get emergency care for a serious burn. MedlinePlus says to call 911 for a burn about the size of your palm or larger, a full-thickness burn, or when you are unsure. The American Burn Association recommends burn center consultation for deep burns of the genitals, perineum, hands or feet and for any full-thickness burn (ABA referral guidelines); the Texas centers are listed below.
- Keep the cup, lid and any carrier, unwashed, in a bag.
- Keep the receipt or app order showing the kiosk address and time.
- Photograph the burn each day for two weeks, with a ruler or coin for scale, and photograph your car seat, cup holder and clothing.
- Have a lawyer send the franchisee a written request to keep the window and lane video within days. See our preservation letter and after-a-burn checklist.
What Scooter’s Coffee is
Scooter’s Coffee was founded in 1998 by Don and Linda Eckles in Bellevue, Nebraska, and is based in Omaha. In February 2026 the company announced it had reached 900 stores in 32 states after adding 83 stores in 2025, and it described its drinks as “served fast and friendly through our drive-thru kiosks and coffeehouses.” The same announcement says, “Nearly all Scooter’s Coffee locations are owned and operated by local franchisees” (Scooter’s Coffee; Nation’s Restaurant News). Its franchise disclosure document gives its principal business address in Omaha (Scooter’s 2024 FDD).
The kiosk is the core format. The company’s franchise disclosure document describes the business as “a quick service kiosk coffee store, offering drive-through service of espresso drinks, smoothies, baked goods, and other items” (Scooter’s 2024 FDD). A January 2024 company release called it a “664 sq. ft. drive-thru-only kiosk model” (Franchising.com). At a drive-thru-only kiosk, hot drinks are handed through a window into a car.
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Scooter’s in Texas
Scooter’s reports its store counts by state in its franchise disclosure document. The most recent state-by-state figures we could open come from the Scooter’s disclosure document issued April 2, 2024, which covers 2021 through 2023 (Scooter’s 2024 FDD):
| Texas, end of year | Franchised stores | Affiliate-owned stores | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| 2022 | 38 | 4 | 42 |
| 2023 | 68 | 3 | 71 |
In 2023, franchisees opened 31 stores in Texas, more than in any other state in that table. At the end of 2023, Texas also had 40 signed franchise agreements for stores that had not opened yet, the highest number for any state. Systemwide, Scooter’s had 750 stores at the end of 2023, and the 2026 announcement puts the count at 900.
The same document listed no open Scooter’s stores in California or Washington at the end of 2023: the one California franchise was terminated and the two affiliate-owned California stores closed that year, and Washington showed only one signed agreement. We did not find a newer official count for those two states.
The company’s 2026 announcement also lists Dallas among the cities where it runs distribution centers.
Who owns the kiosk that served you
The disclosure document says Scooter’s Coffee, LLC does not own any stores. The stores it reports as company-owned belong to an affiliate, Boundless Operations. Every other store belongs to a franchisee, often a small company that owns one or several kiosks.
That matters when you file. The franchise company that employs the crew holds the video, the incident report and the training records. The franchisor can be added when the evidence connects it to the procedure or equipment involved, for example a lid or cup the franchisor specified.
A reported case at another franchised chain shows how this works. In a Georgia case involving a Dunkin’ drive-thru, the settlement was paid by the franchisee that operated the store, Golden Donuts, LLC (Fortune). Our Dunkin’ page covers that case.
Hot items on the Scooter’s menu
The Scooter’s hot drinks menu lists brewed coffee, lattes, cappuccino, café au lait, mocha, hot chocolate, a steamer and the company’s Caramelicious drinks, along with espresso shots (Scooter’s hot drinks menu). We found no public statement from the company about the temperature at which it serves its drinks, and no reported burn lawsuit or burn incident involving Scooter’s in the court records and news coverage we reviewed.
The American Burn Association’s scald table, based on the Moritz and Henriques studies on adult skin, shows how little contact time a third-degree burn takes. The same ABA guide says young children have thinner skin, which results in deeper burns than adults get at the same temperature and exposure time (ABA scald guide):
| Liquid temperature | Time to a third-degree burn (ABA) |
|---|---|
| 155°F | 1 second |
| 148°F | 2 seconds |
| 140°F | 5 seconds |
| 133°F | 15 seconds |
| 127°F | 1 minute |
Texas burn centers verified by the American Burn Association
A deep burn from a lap spill may need care at a burn center. These are the six Texas centers the ABA lists as verified (ABA Find a Burn Center):
| Burn center | City |
|---|---|
| Parkland Burn Center (Parkland) | Dallas |
| Burn and Reconstructive Center at Medical City Plano | Plano |
| Blocker Burn Unit, UTMB (UTMB) | Galveston |
| Shriners Hospitals for Children – Texas | Galveston |
| U.S. Army Burn Center, USAISR (USAISR) | San Antonio |
| Timothy J. Harnar Burn Center, UMC (UMC) | Lubbock |
Houston’s John S. Dunn Burn Center at Memorial Hermann is listed by the ABA as another burn center. Our burn centers page has the full lists for California, Texas and Washington.
Texas fault and product rules
| Rule | Texas law |
|---|---|
| Children | The clock is paused until 18 (CPRC § 16.001) |
| Your share of fault | No recovery if you are more than 50% responsible (CPRC § 33.001) |
| Defective cup or lid | Design claim needs a feasible safer alternative design (CPRC § 82.005) |
If the kiosk argues that you dropped the cup, the 50% rule can decide a Texas case. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou.
Related pages
Burn injury lawyer · Drive-thru burns · Dutch Bros burns · Dunkin’ burns · Starbucks burns · Texas burn injuries · Burn centers
Talk to a burn injury lawyer
If a drink from a Scooter’s kiosk burned you or your child, save the receipt that shows the kiosk address, keep the cup with its lid, and call Beverly Law at (310) 552-6959. The review is free, in English or Spanish. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
Common questions
Can I sue Scooter's Coffee for a burn?
Yes, when the evidence shows the kiosk’s handling of the drink or a defective cup or lid caused the burn. The claim usually runs against the franchise company that owns that kiosk; a few stores belong to the affiliate Boundless Operations, and the franchisor can be added if the evidence ties it to the lid, cup or procedure involved.
How much is a Scooter's Coffee burn lawsuit worth?
It depends on how deep the burn was and what treatment it needed, such as burn center care or skin grafts. We found no reported burn lawsuit, verdict or settlement involving Scooter’s, so there is no Scooter’s result to compare.
How long do I have to sue Scooter's Coffee?
Two years from the burn in Texas (CPRC § 16.003), and for a child the two years do not start until age 18. If a Scooter’s opens near you, California allows two years (CCP § 335.1) and Washington three (RCW 4.16.080). The kiosk’s video may be gone long before any of these deadlines.
How many Scooter's are in Texas?
The company’s April 2024 disclosure document reported 71 Texas stores at the end of 2023, with 40 more under signed agreements. The company reported 900 stores nationwide in February 2026.
Is there a Scooter's Coffee in California or Washington?
The 2024 disclosure document showed no open stores in either state at the end of 2023. We did not find a newer official count.
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Related pages
Sources
- Scooter's Coffee, "900 stores across 32 states" announcement, datelined Omaha, Feb. 26, 2026 (store count, 83 stores add (scooterscoffee.com)
- Nation's Restaurant News, Scooter's Coffee reaches 900 stores (Feb. 27, 2026) (nrn.com)
- Scooter's Coffee, LLC, Franchise Disclosure Document, issuance date April 2, 2024 (cover page business description, Item (storage.googleapis.com)
- Scooter's Coffee, LLC release on Franchising.com, "Scooter's Coffee Continues Growing in Louisiana and Texas" (Jan. 24, (franchising.com)
- Scooter's Coffee hot drinks menu (scooterscoffee.com)
- American Burn Association scald guide (Moritz and Henriques table) (childburn.org)
- American Burn Association, Find a Burn Center (ABA Verified and Other Burn Centers) (ameriburn.org)
- American Burn Association, burn center referral guidelines (ameriburn.org)
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), Burns (medlineplus.gov)
- MedlinePlus en español, Quemaduras (medlineplus.gov)
- Parkland Health, burn center re-verification (parklandhealth.org)
- UTMB Health, Blocker Burn Unit (utmbhealth.com)
- U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, burn center ABA verification (2022) (usaisr.health.mil)
- UMC Health System, Timothy J. Harnar Burn Center (umchealthsystem.com)
- Fortune, Georgia Dunkin' drive-thru settlement by franchisee Golden Donuts (Oct. 25, 2023) (fortune.com)
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.001 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.001 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 82.005 (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
- RCW 4.16.080 (app.leg.wa.gov)
Important: This page is general information, not legal or medical advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. Last reviewed: November 6, 2026.