Coffee lovers across the United States woke up to a caffeinated bonanza on September 29, 2025, as National Coffee Day brought a wave of deals, freebies, and limited-time offers from nearly every major coffee chain and convenience store. Despite a year marked by soaring coffee prices—retail prices surged nearly 21% since last August, according to the latest Consumer Price Index—Americans’ love affair with coffee showed no signs of cooling off. Instead, brands doubled down on generosity, rolling out creative promotions that had customers lining up (and logging in) for their daily brew.
According to the National Coffee Association’s Fall 2025 trend report, adults in the U.S. now drink a staggering 490 million cups of coffee every day. While traditional coffee remains the top pick for 62% of drinkers, specialty favorites like lattes, espressos, and cappuccinos are close behind at 57%. With demand at an all-time high, National Coffee Day offered a welcome reprieve from price hikes, as chains from Paris Baguette to Krispy Kreme vied for attention with tempting deals.
Paris Baguette, renowned for its French-style sandwiches and fresh pastries, teamed up with Italian coffee powerhouse Lavazza to offer app users a free medium hot or iced coffee—no purchase required. The offer, valid only through the Paris Baguette app, highlighted the chain’s commitment to quality and innovation. "Paris Baguette rewards members can get a free medium coffee made with premium Lavazza beans," the brand announced, ensuring customers could savor European-style coffee without leaving town.
Not to be outdone, Dunkin’ rolled out multiple offers for its loyalists. Rewards members could snag a free medium-sized iced coffee with a $1 purchase, and a separate deal allowed a free medium hot or iced coffee with any in-app purchase (excluding cold brew and nitro). DoorDash sweetened the pot further, offering $6 off any Dunkin’ order of $20 or more. With more than 865 Dunkin’ storefronts in New Jersey alone, the chain’s reach was hard to miss.
Starbucks, ever the giant in the coffee landscape, rewarded its members with 100 bonus stars for any coffee purchase on National Coffee Day. Meanwhile, Grubhub+ members got $7 off $20 Starbucks orders—a partnership that brought the coffeehouse experience straight to customers’ doors. For those who preferred a shake over a cup, Shake Shack brought back its beloved Coffee Shake, made with dark roast coffee and house-made vanilla frozen custard, available at over two dozen New Jersey locations.
Other chains joined the celebration with their own twists. Krispy Kreme, partnering with pop star Joe Jonas, offered a free medium hot or iced coffee and a free doughnut—no purchase necessary. As Jonas put it, "I want to make National Coffee Day history, and that’s what this is." The chain also had a buy-one-get-one-for-$2 deal on original glazed dozens, ensuring that the sweet tooth crowd didn’t feel left out.
Panera Bread’s Unlimited Sip Club members enjoyed 50% off the new Crème Brulee latte, and new enrollees could get three months of free coffee using code COFFEEDAY. Even those just browsing could upgrade to an annual subscription for $89, making coffee more affordable for the long haul. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven extended its generosity, offering rewards members a free coffee with the purchase of any breakfast sandwich—not just for a day, but through October 28. This month-long celebration included participating Speedway and Stripes stores, giving convenience a new meaning.
For those seeking something a little different, Playa Bowls offered a buy-one-get-one-free deal on their 20-ounce Playola Cold Brew and Sweet Cream Cold Brew drinks. Loyalty members at the superfruit bowl franchise could double up on caffeine and flavor. Similarly, Rita’s Italian Ice let app users enjoy a $1.99 small cold brew frozen coffee in flavors like caramel and mocha, while Smoothie King introduced a coffee-protein program. Starbucks Rewards members could show their accumulated stars to get a free protein-packed coffee smoothie—an inventive blend of health and indulgence.
The deals didn’t stop there. Pret A Manger gave away a free organic, barista-made coffee—including its new Cinnamon Swirl Latte—through its app, and Einstein Bros. Bagels offered a free hot or iced coffee with any purchase for rewards members. Circle K customers could grab a free medium hot or iced coffee via the app, and Tim Hortons promised a free coffee after four separate brewed coffee purchases throughout the week.
Online retailers and specialty brands also jumped into the fray. Keurig held a one-day flash sale with 50% off sitewide using code COFFEEDAYFLASH, while Bean Box gave away a free 12-ounce bag of coffee with any purchase using code COFFEEDAY25. Cafe Aroma offered 20% off sitewide and a free branded hat for the first 50 purchases, and Cambio Roasters discounted its Pumpkin Spice flavor by 10% on September 29, with additional deals coming for Amazon Prime Days in October.
Paris Baguette wasn’t the only chain spotlighting partnerships. Auraskin, a coffee-powered skincare line, launched a co-branded to-go pouch at Rumble Boxing locations in Hoboken and Jersey City, featuring espresso SPF lip balm and mocha-scented body butter. Members could shop curated bundles, sample products, and enjoy a one-time 15% discount at pop-up events starting September 29.
Some brands leaned into the novelty factor. Dutch Bros, a drive-thru-only concept, gave away a free limited-edition sticker with any drink purchase, while La Colombe handed out free 12-ounce drip Corsica coffee or a 16-ounce Oatmilk Draft Latte at all its cafés. BIGGBY Coffee offered a $1 brewed coffee deal, and PJ’s Coffee treated app users to a free 16-ounce cold brew.
Even convenience store chains like EG America—parent to Cumberland Farms, Turkey Hill, and more—offered free hot or iced coffee of any size for SmartRewards members. Zabar’s, a New York institution, poured free small coffees with any purchase, and Whataburger let customers customize a free 16-ounce hot or iced coffee with vanilla, caramel, or sweet cream, no purchase necessary.
With extreme weather impacting crops in countries like Brazil, higher shipping and labor costs, and persistent inflation, it’s no wonder Americans welcomed a break on their favorite beverage. The sheer volume and variety of National Coffee Day deals in 2025 reflected not just a love of coffee, but a resilient, creative industry eager to keep customers smiling—one cup at a time.
