Whether you call it joe, java, jitter juice, brew, rocket fuel or mud, coffee is a constant companion for many of us.
About two-thirds of Americans (63%) drink coffee daily, according to the National Coffee Association. That equates to about 1.7 cups daily for everyone in the U.S., or 2.8 cups daily per coffee drinker, amounts which have remained steady since 2020, the group says.
The U.S. imports the most coffee and is expected to import 20% of the world’s volume of coffee in 2023-2024 (about 28.3 million bags, compared to 47.5 million in the European Union), the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates.
But the U.S. doesn’t even rank among the top ten countries in terms of per capita coffee consumption (324 cups per capita), falling far below Lebanon, which is No. 1 at 1,516 cups annually, according to research firm Euromonitor International.
Many drink coffee for its caffeine content to help them wake up and remain alert; the Food and Drug Administration says healthy adults can have 4-5 cups daily and stay within the recommended caffeine limit of 400 milligrams a day. But think about the size of your cup: a 16-ounce cup of Starbucks coffee can have 260-360 mg of caffeine, depending on the roast; while a 14-ounce cup of Dunkin’ Coffee has 210 mg, according to Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Medical research has also suggested that moderate coffee intake (2-5 cups daily) coffee could help you live longer and help prevent some diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, heart disease and depression, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. But too much caffeine can also cause anxiety in people with panic or anxiety disorders, research suggests.
Coffee drinkers, over the last year, have increased spending on dry coffee, to brew at home, up 6.5%, while spending at Starbucks and other limited service restaurants is down 4.6%, during the 52-week period ending May 31, 2023, according to market research firm Numerator.
“Since the pandemic we have seen more consumers upleveling their coffee experience at home,” Starbucks Coffee developer Leslie Wolford told USA TODAY. “There are a lot of choices and a myriad of ways to enjoy coffee.”
To get you to come have coffee at their place, many spots pouring, brewing and steaming coffee and coffee drinks have deals and specials for National Coffee Day on Friday, Sept. 29, and over the subsequent days including International Coffee Day on Sunday, Oct. 1.
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Dunkin’ has free coffee on National Coffee Day
Dunkin’ Rewards members can get a free medium iced or hot coffee with any purchase Friday. You can also get one of four new coffee lovers’ bracelets Dunkin’ has partnered with the Little Words Project on starting at 8 a.m. ET on Friday for $30 each on the Little Words Project website. There are limited quantities of the bracelets, which come with the sayings: “Iced Coffee”, “Eat The Donut”, “Get Sip Done” and “Cafecito Time.”
Krispy Kreme has free coffee on National Coffee Day
Krispy Kreme, which recently debuted new coffees with smoother blends and richer roasts, is giving customers a free medium hot or iced coffee or espresso-based drink, no purchase necessary, on Friday. You can also treat the whole family or your co-workers when you buy any dozen donuts, with another dozen original glazed for $2.
Starbucks Reserve special city-inspired coffees
Starbucks is releasing six new city-inspired Starbucks Reserve coffee microblends, each roasted in the cities: Seattle, Chicago, New York, Milan, Tokyo, and Shanghai. They are available at the those locations ($28-$32 per bag). “These collaborations reflect the spirit of coffee threaded through their roastery and the vibe of the city,” Wolford said. “Each coffee is exclusive to the roastery.”
Also, Starbucks Rewards members on Friday can get use 300 starts to get a bag of whole bean Guatemala Casi Cielo coffee.
Sheetz free coffee deal on National Coffee Day
Go into any of the more than 700 Sheetz locations across the mid-Atlantic on Friday and get a free free Nitro or Cold Brew coffee.
Kolache Factory free Friday coffee for National Coffee Day
Kolache Factory is giving customers a free cup of its Katz Coffee on Friday. You can get a coupon on the pastry bakery-café chain’s social media accounts – Facebook, Instagram, and X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter; it posts early Friday morning – or you can ask for it in the store. (Offer good only in for in-store or curbside purchases, not online. No purchase necessary.)
Tim Hortons’ free coffee and Bling’d Up swag contest
Members of Tims Rewards will get a free medium hot or iced coffee with a purchase of $3 or more at participating U.S. restaurants. You can also enter to win one of 5 bejeweled pieces including a blinged Tim Hortons-inspired tumbler. Just follow @TimHortonsUs and @Blingdup on Instagram and like the giveaway post, plus tag a friend and comment with hashtag #MadewithLoveandTims. Enter 11:59 p.m. ET on Oct. 6; winners will be announced on Oct. 11.
Dutch Bros ‘Drink More Coffee’ hat, exclusive on National Coffee Day
Express your love for coffee with the Dutch Bros Coffee exclusive “Drink More Coffee” hat ($20) at all of its 750-plus shops. When you buy a hat, you also get any drink free. The coffee purveyor also has a special National Coffee Day quiz to help you change things up on your next order.
Bean Box free coffee deal
Get a free 12-ounce bag of coffee with any purchase on BeanBox.com or via the Bean Box Mobile App Friday-Sunday. Also any purchases made those days through the app will be automatically entered to win a $250 Bean Box gift card. For more chances to win, follow Bean Box on Instagram and tag a friend in Bean Box’s National Coffee Day Instagram post.
Laird Superfood coffee with free creamer offer
Surfing legend Laird Hamilton’s plant-based food company is giving shoppers who buy The Leveled Up Coffee Bundle (regularly $53) on Friday, an additional free 8-ounce Sweet and Creamy with Adaptogens Creamer.
PJ’s free coffee deal on National Coffee Day
Buy a pastry or sandwich at PJ’s Coffee – or any whole bean bag of coffee – in stores on Friday and get a free 12-ounce coffee or cold brew.
Paris Baguette free coffee this weekend
Paris Baguette premium coffee maker Lavazza are providing Paris Baguette Rewards members a free medium hot or iced coffee with any purchase Friday to Sunday, Oct. 1. Just join the loyalty program on or before Friday, Sept. 29.
Pilot Flying J free coffee deal on National Coffee Day
Pilot Flying J travel centers is giving all members of its myRewards Plus loyalty program any size hot, iced or cold brew coffee on Friday. Just redeem the deal in the myRewards Plus app.
QuickChek: Free coffee with purchase on National Coffee Day
With any purchase on Friday at one of QuickChek’s 165 locations in New Jersey and New York, get any size, self-serve hot or iced coffee free when you use QuickChek Rewards at the register.
Pret A Manger subscription deal for National Coffee Day
Pret A Manger has a discount deal for its Club Pret subscription plan. Regularly $40 each month, you get up to 5 drinks daily – including all barista-made drinks such as lattes, cold brew and hot chocolate – and 20% off the menu. However, through Sunday, Oct. 1, you get the first month for $20. Download the Pret app and follow the prompts to create an account and use code COFFEEDAY23 at checkout.
Shipley Do-Nuts free coffee deal on Friday and free donuts contest
Shipley Do-Nuts, which has more than 340 locations nationwide, on Friday is giving away a free medium House Blend hot coffee or iced coffee with any purchase. Also, you can win a free dozen donuts in a contest on Instagram, just like the Shipley Do-Nuts giveaway post (by end of day Thursday), tag a friend, follow the account and sign up for the chain’s DO-HAPPY rewards program.
Maverik’s free and 50% off coffee deal Friday
Maverik –Adventure’s First Stop convenience store chain with 400 locations in 12 western states, will give Adventure Club loyalty members 50% off a large cup of coffee and upgraded Nitro card holders get a freebie on Friday.
Win Keurig’s National Coffee Day sweepstakes and make better coffee
Keurig wants to send you and up to three friends to its Keurig Coffee House in upstate New York to raise your coffee game; you also get a year’s supply of K-Cup pods. Enter by Friday, Sept. 29: just comment on the @Keurig Instagram post about the sweepstakes and tag two friends they would want to share the house and include the hashtag #KeurigCoffeeHouseSweepstakes. You can also repost the Keurig post or a picture of you drinking coffee as an Instagram story, also tag @Keurig and add the hashtag.
Atlas Coffee Club
Get your first 12-ounce bag of coffee free when you subscribe to Atlas Coffee Club‘s single-origin coffee of the month club. The offer is good through Monday, Oct. 2, when you use the code ATLASCOFFEEDAY23 (you just pay shipping).
Zend Coffee discount deals for National Coffee Day
Zend Coffee, which sells globally sourced, premium beans in single-origins and blends (including functional blends for Beauty, Recovery and Serenity), is giving online shoppers 30% off all full-sized bags of coffee and Corkcicle mugs through Sunday, Oct. 1 (use discount code: NCD30). You can also get 50% off your first month of a coffee subscription through Sunday (discount code: NCD50).
Steeped Coffee 20% off deal for National Coffee Day
Eco-friendly brand Steeped Coffee is giving 20% off orders through Sept. 30 on its fully compostable, single-serve gourmet brewing coffee bags. Just use the code COFFEEDAY.
Trade Coffee free coffee deal for National Coffee Day
Trade Coffee, which connects consumers with U.S. roasters, has partnered with nearly 60 local coffee spots where the first 100 customers will get a free cup of coffee on Friday. At the register, you can also scan a QR code to get a free bag of coffee, shipped by Trade from one of its more than 55 partnering roasters. If you can’t make it to one of Trade’s coffee shops, go to the website through Oct. 2 and get a free bag of coffee with a subscription, plus $5 off a 3-bag subscription or $10 off a 4-bag subscription (use code TradeCoffeeDay).
Chobani in your coffee
If you are in New York City, stop by the Chobani Café, located at 152 Prince Street to try a special yogurt-infused specialty drink, discount priced at $3.50 – or get a free 12-ounce hot coffee on Friday. At home, you can try adding Chobani Coffee Creamer or Vanilla Chobani Greek Yogurt to your cold drink, iced or blended. You can also top with salted caramel sauce and/or whipped cream.
Lavazza and Kinder Bueno National Coffee Day promotions
Coffee maker Lavazza and candy company Kinder Bueno have some deals and promotions for National Coffee Day:
- Get 20% off Lavazza Coffee and Kinder Bueno Bars on Amazon.com, through the end of October.
- Get $3 off any one Lavazza coffee product and any one Kinder Bueno product at Kroger, Ahold, Wakefern and Albertson’s stores through the end of October.
- Win a one-year supply of Kinder Bueno Bars and Lavazza Classic Coffee in a contest on Kinder Bueno’s Instagram. (Go there and follow the rules.) 10 additional winners will also receive a coffee break kit including Kinder Bueno bars, Lavazza Classico Medium Roast ground coffee, a double wall stainless steel vacuum insulated mug and Hairo Coffee Dripper.
- Also in New York, visit Lavazza Coffee and Kinder Bueno co-branded Unrush Mobile Coffee Shops for a free Lavazza Cappuccino Cold Brew and Kinder Bueno snack – locations at World Trade Center (250 Greenwich Street) from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30PM, while supplies last, and South Street Seaport (96 South Street) from 2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., while supplies last.
Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.
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