2 Tariff-Proof Restaurant Stocks to Buy Now

After the Supreme Court ruled that the previous tariffs enacted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were illegal, President Donald Trump quickly signed an executive order levying new tariffs, up to 15%, under the Trade Act of 1974. With tariff uncertainty still brewing, let's look at two restaurant stocks to own that could bypass these issues.

Dutch Bros

Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS) is one of the best growth stories in the restaurant industry, increasing its same-store sales (comps) over the past year, including 7.7% in the fourth quarter. While the company isn't immune to tariffs (it gets about half of its coffee beans from Brazil), they haven't impacted its momentum.

Meanwhile, Brazil had one of the highest tariff rates at around 40% and an added reciprocal tariff of 10% on coffee, which was hurting coffee shop operators, until a recent exemption was made for coffee. So even with a new tariff, it should put the coffee chain in a better spot than it was in for much of 2025. Meanwhile, with coffee bean production strong, prices are also expected to ease.

Beyond tariffs, Dutch Bros is seeing strong comps momentum coming from customers ordering ahead by mobile phone, increasing brand awareness, and menu innovation. The recent rollout of hot food items is also set to give sales a lift, with the initial stores to offer it seeing a 4% rise.

The company has a long expansion runway. With under 1,150 stores at the end of 2025, it plans to have more than 2,000 locations by 2029 and 7,000 in the U.S. over the long term. Between its strong comps momentum and expansion opportunity, Dutch Bros is a top restaurant stock.

Image source: Getty Images.

McDonald's

When it comes to mitigating tariffs, there is nothing more powerful than scale, and McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) has it in abundance. The company also tends to source many of its ingredients from the countries where its products are sold. And it leans heavily on franchisees, deriving much of its revenue from rent and royalties.

At the same time, the company thrives when the fast-food industry shifts to more of a value and promotional environment -- and that is exactly what we are currently experiencing. McDonald's has returned to its value roots, with the relaunch of its Extra Value Meals and introduction of its new McValue platform. It's also leaning into promotional marketing, with its Grinch Meal and Monopoly promotions driving strong sales last quarter.

This helped propel the company to a 5.7% increase in comps in the fourth quarter, including a 6.8% jump in the U.S. And earlier this month, it said that 2026 was also off to a good start. McDonald's is a solid blue chip stock to own in this current economy.

Geoffrey Seiler has positions in Dutch Bros. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Dutch Bros. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.