Excelsior Caffé is a Japanese chain of coffeehouses owned by Doutor Coffee. Established in 1999, it operates exclusively in Japan. The restaurant has an Italian style, hence its use of "caffé" (the Italian spelling) instead of "café" in its name.
History
The company was created in 1999 by Doutor Coffee. Its first location opened in July of that year in Seavans A Mall in Shibaura.[1] Doutor was a more grab-and-go coffeehouse without any baristas, using machines instead. They wanted to create a more "premium" experience for its customers, allowing them to have a place to sit and relax in a quiet atmosphere. In 2000, American coffee chain Starbucks filed for an interim injunction against the Doutor, saying that their logo (which has since changed) and appearance looked too much like its own.[2][3]
In 2021, Excelsior started using the food sharing service TABETE to reduce food loss.[4][5]