Mission Viejo / South Orange County
Starbucks' own locator shows four company-run cafes in Mission Viejo, one each on Alicia Parkway (Gateway Center), La Paz Road (La Paz Plaza), Santa Margarita Parkway and south Marguerite Parkway. Only the Marguerite and Avery store has a drive-thru. Philz picked an in-line spot at Alicia Landing on Alicia Parkway. Independents fill the grocery centers on Marguerite, such as Choco Bean Coffee next to Pavilions and High Ground in Mission Viejo Village. Drive-thru coffee is rare in the city, and any new one needs a conditional use permit and room to stack six cars.
Population
92,151
Median HHI
$136,123
Median age
45.5
Homeownership
76.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates.
Primary retail corridors
Marguerite Parkway · Alicia Parkway · Oso Parkway · La Paz Road · Santa Margarita Parkway · Crown Valley Parkway
Specific shopping centers in Mission Viejo that already carry credible co-tenancy for this use. Listed in approximate order of fit.
24000 Alicia Parkway
Anchors / key tenants: Starbucks, Chase, Baja Fresh
Sold for $51M in January 2026 per DJM's sale release; mix includes Secrets Hair & Nails, a barber, Subway, Mission Tennis, Aloha BBQ. The urgent care the release named (Saddleback Family & Urgent Care) closed in August 2023. Reads as a daily-needs and service center on Alicia near Saddleback College.
26131–26137 La Paz Road
Anchors / key tenants: medical and professional services mix
Spanish-style center with a heavy medical/professional tenant mix. Reads as medical-adjacent rather than impulse retail.
25280–25410 Marguerite Parkway
Anchors / key tenants: Trader Joe's, CVS, Big Lots
Size: 175,000 SF
Trader Joe's-anchored community center on the signalized corner of La Paz and Marguerite, across from City Hall and the library. Strong cross-shop with Jersey Mike's, Rubio's, Del Taco, Menchie's, and a Ralphs across the street.
26032 Marguerite Parkway
Anchors / key tenants: Pavilions, OrangeTheory, Stretch Lab, Denault's Ace Hardware, Brightcare Veterinary
Pavilions-anchored center at the Marguerite/Oso intersection, reported as the #1 Pavilions in OC. Affluent trade area ($200k+ HHI). Health, fitness, and pet services already validated in the mix.
27692–27766 Santa Margarita Parkway
Anchors / key tenants: Ralphs, TJ Maxx, Chase, Starbucks
Size: 160,000 SF
Ralphs-anchored community center on Santa Margarita Pkwy. Daily-needs co-tenancy supports weekly-frequency users.
23062 Alicia Parkway
Anchors / key tenants: daily-needs neighborhood mix
Size: 44,497 SF
Westwood Financial-owned daily-needs center on Alicia Parkway serving the surrounding residential neighborhoods.
Existing operators are the most honest comp for whether a use can support Mission Viejo rents. These are publicly visible coffee shop space businesses currently trading in the market.
Starbucks (Alicia Pkwy & Jeronimo)
24012 Alicia Parkway, Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Company-operated cafe on Starbucks' own locator (store 11956). The City's tenant inventory places it in Gateway Center.
Starbucks (La Paz & Chrisanta)
26137 La Paz Road, Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Company-operated cafe on Starbucks' locator (store 17122). The City's inventory lists it as Suite A1 in La Paz Plaza.
Starbucks (Marguerite & Avery), drive-thru
28391 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, CA 92692
The only Mission Viejo Starbucks that the locator flags with a drive-thru (store 17768). It sits at the south end of Marguerite Parkway near Avery Parkway.
Starbucks (Los Alisos & Santa Margarita)
27698 Santa Margarita Parkway, Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Company-operated cafe on Starbucks' locator (store 15906). The City's inventory calls this building Portola Synergy, next to Portola Plaza.
Starbucks licensed counters in grocery and Target stores
Pavilions, 26022 Marguerite Pkwy; Albertsons, 23072 Alicia Pkwy; Target, 25565 Los Alisos Blvd; Target, 24500 Alicia Pkwy
Starbucks' locator lists these four as licensed stores inside the anchor, not stand-alone cafes.
Philz Coffee
24440 Alicia Parkway, Suite D, Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Listed under Orange County on Philz's own locations page. The City's inventory places it in Alicia Landing, next to Mendocino Farms and Dave's Hot Chicken.
High Ground Coffee House
25522 Marguerite Parkway, Suite 102, Mission Viejo, CA 92692
Independent coffee house listed in the City's inventory under Mission Viejo Village Center. The City lists Choco Bean Coffee in Mission Viejo Marketplace (26032 Marguerite Pkwy, Suite D) as well. Neither was checked on the operator's own site.
01
In-line cafe: Municipal Code Section 9.11.015 lists Restaurants under 4,000 sq ft (excluding drive-thrus) as permitted in all five commercial and office zones (CN, CC, CH, CR and OP). Bakeries (retail only) and delicatessens are also permitted in all five. A standard coffee shop in an existing suite usually needs no use permit. Over 4,000 sq ft, a restaurant needs a conditional use permit.
02
Drive-thru: Section 9.11.015(c)(6) makes every drive-thru establishment conditional (C) in every commercial zone. Section 9.11.020(c)(4) requires stacking for at least six cars behind the menu board, aisles at least 12 feet wide with a 10-foot inside radius, PCC concrete aisles, landscape screening from the street, a menu board of 24 sq ft or less, and at least 1,750 sq ft of interior floor area for a drive-thru restaurant. A small kiosk will not meet that last rule. Under Sections 9.48.015 and 9.48.020, the CUP goes to the Design Review Committee and then to a Planning Commission public hearing.
03
Patio seating: Section 9.11.020(a)(2)(a) requires all uses to operate inside an enclosed building. Limited outdoor uses such as patio dining need a planned development permit. The parking table in Section 9.25.020 counts outdoor seating as floor area for restaurants and cafes, so a patio can add parking demand.
04
Parking: Section 9.25.020 sets restaurants, cafes and other eating and drinking places at 1 space per 100 sq ft of public seating area up to 4,000 sq ft, with a 10-space minimum. Section 9.25.015(c) requires the added spaces when a change of use raises demand, so taking over a retail suite (1 per 200 sq ft) can trip the minimum in a tight center.
05
Health permit and grease: under California Health and Safety Code Section 114380, OC Health Care Agency's Plan Check unit must approve plans for any new or remodeled food facility before construction, and the health permit is issued at final inspection. Mission Viejo is split among several water and sewer districts (the City lists El Toro, Moulton Niguel, Santa Margarita and Trabuco Canyon). Santa Margarita Water District runs a FOG program for food service establishments and publishes grease interceptor sizing guidance, so confirm which district serves the suite and whether it will require an interceptor for your menu.
06
Opening date: Chapter 9.41 requires a certificate of occupancy for a change of use, filed at least 30 days before opening (Section 9.41.015(b)). Build the 30 days, the HCA plan check and any CUP hearing into the rent start date.
Zoning, licensing, and demographic figures on this page come from the public records below. Codes and licenses change, so confirm with the city and the licensing agency before you sign.