There are two big coffee days. In the United States, National Coffee Day is September 29, and it’s best known for free coffee and deals at chains and local cafes. International Coffee Day is October 1, set by the International Coffee Organization (ICO) and celebrated worldwide, with a focus on the farmers who grow coffee. Many countries also have their own national coffee days on other dates.
Here’s where each one came from, when different countries celebrate, and some easy ways to mark the day.
| Day | Date | What it’s about |
|---|---|---|
| National Coffee Day (US) | September 29 | Free coffee, deals and promotions |
| International Coffee Day | October 1 | Celebrating coffee worldwide and supporting farmers |
| Costa Rica’s Día Nacional del Café | Second Friday of September | Coffee culture and the harvest |
| Japan’s Coffee Day | October 1 | Promoted since 1983, tied to the start of the coffee year |
International Coffee Day: October 1
International Coffee Day is the official global celebration. In March 2014, the International Coffee Organization’s member countries agreed to hold it on October 1, the start of the coffee year in the ICO’s calendar. The first official International Coffee Day was held in Milan on October 1, 2015, as part of Expo 2015.
The day highlights the millions of farmers who grow coffee and the challenges they face, from low prices to climate change. In March 2026, the United Nations General Assembly also adopted October 1 as International Coffee Day.
National Coffee Day in the US: September 29
National Coffee Day in the United States falls on September 29. No one is quite sure who started it; references to it appear by the mid-2000s, and it grew mainly as a marketing event. Today it’s the day big chains and local cafes offer free cups, discounts and rewards deals, so it’s worth checking your favorite coffee shop’s app the week before.
Because National Coffee Day and International Coffee Day are only two days apart, many people treat the end of September and start of October as one long coffee celebration.
Coffee Days Around the World
Many countries have their own national coffee days. A few examples:
| Country | Date |
|---|---|
| Brazil | May 24 |
| Colombia | June 27 |
| Costa Rica | Second Friday of September |
| Ethiopia | September 15 |
| Germany | Last Friday of September |
| United States | September 29 |
| Japan and Ireland | October 1 |
| Vietnam | December 10 |
Dates are traditions and promotions rather than public holidays, and some vary from year to year.
Costa Rica takes its coffee especially seriously. In January 2020, its legislature voted to make coffee a national symbol, and the country celebrates its Día Nacional del Café each September. Read more in our guide to Costa Rican coffee and its traditional brewer, the chorreador.
Why Coffee Gets Its Own Day
Coffee has shaped culture for centuries. Coffeehouses spread from the Middle East to Europe in the 1600s and became meeting places for merchants, writers and thinkers. Lloyd’s of London grew out of Edward Lloyd’s coffee house, where shipowners and insurers met. In New York, traders gathered at the Tontine Coffee House in the 1790s, and in Paris, Café de Flore became a hangout for writers like Jean-Paul Sartre. Our history of coffeehouses and history of coffee tell the full story.
Coffee is also a living for millions of farming families, most of them on small farms in countries like Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia and Ethiopia. That’s why International Coffee Day puts so much attention on fair prices and sustainability.
How to Celebrate Coffee Day
Five ways to celebrate
From a free cup to a home tasting
- Grab the deals. Check coffee chain and cafe apps the week before September 29.
- Visit a local specialty cafe and try something new, like a single-origin pour-over.
- Try a new origin at home, such as a Costa Rican, Ethiopian or Colombian coffee.
- Host a coffee tasting with friends, comparing two or three coffees side by side.
- Support the farmers by choosing traceable or certified beans and buying from roasters who share where their coffee comes from.
Need ideas? See how to find a good specialty coffee shop, how to pair coffee with food for a tasting, or treat someone with our gifts for coffee lovers and coffee subscriptions.
Coffee Day FAQ
Is National Coffee Day the same as International Coffee Day?
No. National Coffee Day in the US is September 29. International Coffee Day, set by the International Coffee Organization, is October 1.
When is Coffee Day in 2027?
National Coffee Day in the US falls on Wednesday, September 29, 2027, and International Coffee Day on Friday, October 1, 2027.
Do coffee shops give away free coffee on National Coffee Day?
Many do, but offers change every year and often require the chain’s app or rewards program. Check the week before.
Sources: International Coffee Day (Wikipedia); The Tico Times on Costa Rica’s coffee day; CRHoy on coffee as a Costa Rican national symbol.
Former roastery owner and coffee tour operator. Steve spent five years roasting coffee for his own shop and wholesale customers. More about Steve