National Coffee Day 2026: Cool Deals + Get Free Coffee!

How to celebrate National coffee day?

You can celebrate the National Coffee day in different ways. Most usually, roasters and coffee retailers offer National coffee day deals, while some announce a full free coffee day. Let’s take a look.

1. Get Free Coffee!

Everyone should get to enjoy coffee on National Coffee Day, regardless of budget. Fortunately, many of your favorite coffee shop and restaurant chains are giving the good stuff away.

Here are the top offers announced so far. But stay tuned because many cafes won’t announce their deals until the last minute. And if you’re unsure, call your local shop to find out what they’re doing to mark the occasion.

• Aroma Joe’s: At Aroma Joe’s, anyone can enjoy a free 16 oz hot or iced coffee on National Coffee Day. Or sign up to be an AJ’s Rewards member, and you can make that a 20 oz drink.

• Burger King: To claim a free small iced coffee, first sign up for a Royal Perks membership. Then you’ll just need to spend at least $1 during breakfast in the lead up to September 30th.

• Caribou Coffee: Join the Caribou Perks program for a series of great deals for the full week around National Coffee Day, including a $3 medium Espresso Shaker on the day, $1 off two handcrafted beverages on the 30th, and $1 off any Coffee of the Day on October 1st. You’ll also get a free medium drink just for signing up and a free drink on your birthday!

• Dunkin’: Sign up for the Dunkin’ rewards program, and you can claim a free medium-size hot or iced coffee on September 29th.

• Dunn Brothers Coffee: Order with the Dunn Brothers rewards app to get a free hot or iced coffee on September 29th. Even if you’re not an app user, you can still enjoy $2 off.

• Krispy Kreme: You can grab a free hot or iced coffee at any Krispy Kreme location on National Coffee Day. But if you sign up for their rewards program, you’ll get a free donut too. Worth it!

• McCafe: McCafe believes every day should be National Coffee Day, and who are we to disagree? Stop by anytime between now and the end of the year to enjoy a $0.99 hot or iced coffee of any size. You just need to order through the app.

• Panera: Like Caribou, Panera is celebrating its members with a full National Coffee Week from September 29th to October 5th. That includes $2 off barista beverages for Sip Club members on National Coffee Day, plus plenty more offers revealed in their press release.

• Sheetz: Sheetz Rewards members who make a purchase through their app on National Coffee Day can pick up a free cold brew coffee of any size with their order.

• Shipley Do-Nuts: Shipley Do-Nuts is offering a free medium-size coffee with any purchase on National Coffee Day. No need to sign up for anything!

2. Give Back

National Coffee Day isn’t all about freebies and promos; it’s also a wonderful opportunity to give back. Every year, the American Society of Echocardiography hosts a National Coffee Day fundraiser. Donate the cost of a cup of coffee (you probably enjoyed that coffee for free today anyway!) to help the foundation raise money for scholarships and research.

Or consider donating to a coffee-related charity. Some of our favorites include: 

• World Coffee Research is dedicated to saving the future of coffee through agricultural research.
• International Women in Coffee Alliance supports gender equity throughout the coffee product chain and empowers women to take on more roles in the industry.
• Grounds for Health works in underserved and rural coffee-growing regions worldwide to ensure access to healthcare, education, and training with a focus on preventing cervical cancer.

Finally, you can treat yourself to a bag of beans from a brand that gives back, either locally or globally. We encourage you to reach out to roasters in your area, but if you need some ideas:

• Veteran-owned Fire Department Coffee runs a foundation that supports firefighters and other first responders who have been injured on the job.
• Salt Spring Coffee is a member of 1% For The Planet, reserving at least 1% of profits to donate to environmental causes.
• Grounds & Hounds Coffee Co. uses a whopping 20% of its profits to support animal rescues.

National Coffee Day History

While the origins of this special coffee day aren’t entirely clear, the origin of coffee itself is.

In the middle of the 1400s, Ethiopians had already harvested coffee cherries and traded them across the Red Sea (1). Then, in the late 1400s, Sufi devotees began drinking coffee to stay awake and alert during their late-night, religious rituals.

By 1511, coffee had made its way to the Islamic holy city of Mecca, and from there, it rapidly spread across North Africa, through the Middle East, and to India. Even during its early history, coffee was integral to Islamic society.

Finally, in 1651, Europe’s first coffee house opened in Oxford, where it became the beverage of choice for students and professors alike. Then, starting from the late 1600s, coffee cultivation and consumption exploded throughout all the European colonies and the Americas—where it became an important trade commodity and fuel for the Industrial Revolution.

Here in the States, coffee or tea was placed during the 1700s. Since then, some of the largest coffee companies—like Folgers and Maxwell House—have taken America and the world by storm (2).

How about espresso? 

We have Dr. Angelo Moriondo to thank for his patented espresso machine back in 1884.

But as James Hoffmann notes, this steam-powered coffee was no modern espresso (3).

But it wasn’t till 1948, when the Gaggia Gilda was invented, that we got our first taste of pressure-extracted espresso.

Curious to see a vintage Gaggia Gilda in action? Check out this video of a Gaggia Gilda pulling a ristretto shot.

When Is It?

So, when is National Coffee day? While the world celebrates International Coffee Day on October 1st, National Coffee Day is celebrated on September 29th. To celebrate, why not try out some of the best coffee subscription services, treat yourself to some coffee gifts, or embrace your inner coffeeholic by scrolling through some hilarious coffee memes?