National Coffee Day In Middlesex Co.: Where To Get Your Joe Fix

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ — For many on the go, drinking coffee is celebrated seven mornings a week.

But there's a specific date that is specifically set to highlight one of the world's most consumed beverages. National Coffee Day is Sept. 29 across the United States and falls on a Wednesday in 2021.

National Coffee Day gives java lovers in New Jersey another reason to visit one of their local coffee shops.

Here are a few places you can find deals on National Cofee Day:

• Dunkin': On National Coffee Day, DDPerk members get a free medium hot or iced coffee with any purchase.
• Wawa: Head to your local Wawa and pour yourself a perfect cup of brew for free. The convenience store is offering free coffee to all customers on Wednesday. Iced coffee is not included in the offer and it's limited to one coffee per customer.
• Panera: If you're a parent or a caregiver, let the cashier or drive-thru know and you’ll receive free coffee all day at the Panera near you. This offer is valid at participating location, so make sure you ask the cashier.
• Starbucks: To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Starbucks, the company is inviting customers to bring in a clean, empty, reusable cup (up to 20 fl. oz.) into participating cafe locations to receive a free cup of Pike Place Roast brewed coffee. To find a Starbucks near you visit Starbucks.com/store-locator or the Starbucks Reserve store locator online for more information. The offer is limited to one free coffee per customer.

If you know of other local coffee shops offering deals or specials for National Coffee Day, send an email to sarah.salvadore@patch.com.

The exact origin of how Sept. 29 (or Oct. 1 in other countries) became National Coffee Day is cloudy, according to a NationalToday.com summary of the country's long connection with the drink. It points to the 1773 Boston Tea Party as a key moment in U.S. history for when the country, quite literally, dumped tea for coffee.

When the people of the 13 colonies revolted against King George III's hefty tea tax, "tea was out, and coffee was in," the summary states.

The United States' connection with coffee only became stronger in the years to follow. Brothers John and Charles Arbuckle started selling coffee to cowboys in the American West during the mid-1800s, and James Folger introduced the drink to gold miners in California before creating the J.A. Folger & Co. in 1872, according to NationalToday.com.

Other brands still around today, such as Maxwell House and Hills Brothers, eventually entered the coffee market. And Starbucks "changed everything" when it formed in Seattle in 1971, according to the summary.

The U.S. coffee shop market has now grown into a $45.4 billion industry, according to an account that cites the Allegra World Coffee Portal's 2019 Project Café USA report.

So, where do you plan to stop for your cup of coffee this year on National Coffee Day?

Thank you for reading. Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com

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