More coffee drinkers choose at-home prep, but away-from-home holds
Coffee remains America’s most popular beverage, with nearly 195 million U.S. adults drinking coffee each week, according to the National Coffee Association’s Spring 2026 National Coffee Data Trends report.
Away-from-home stats
36% of past-day coffee drinkers had coffee out of the home. Top out-of-home locations: workplace (14%), in transit (13%) and eating place (10%)
- Workplace and in-transit map directly to OCS, micro markets, vending and travel/transportation channels
Morning dominates away-from-home opportunity. Among past-day coffee drinkers: 86% at breakfast, 38% in the morning, 22% in the afternoon. (Page 3)
- Operational takeaway: Stocking, service windows and equipment uptime matter most early in the day with a meaningful second wave in the afternoon
Cold coffee still shows up even in winter behavior. The NCA data, collected in January 2026, showed that 17% were cold or iced, and 5% were frozen blended.
- Format takeaway: Ready-to-drink coffee and cold options can be positioned as year-round, not seasonal
Hot coffee gets a winter bump, but variety is expected. 78% of yesterday’s cups were served hot (up 13% since summer 2025), yet cold/iced retains its share.
- Merchandising takeaway: Keep hot strong, but don’t drop cold coffee facings in cooler months.
Espresso-style preferences support premium away-from-home programs. Past-week “top cups” include latte (21%), espresso (20%), cappuccino (17%), plus Americano (10%) and others.
- Equipment/program takeaway: Bean-to-cup and espresso-capable platforms align with what consumers say they’re choosing.
Source: Spring 2026 National Coffee Data Trends (NCDT) report
Most coffee drinking continues to center on morning routines and at-home preparation. Among past-day coffee drinkers, 82% had coffee prepared at home while 28% had coffee prepared away from home. The NCA said 86% of past-day coffee drinkers had coffee first thing in the morning.
Notably, coffee remains a beverage consumers reach for throughout the day. NCA reports that while first thing in the morning remained the most popular time for coffee, 38% of consumers opted for coffee at another time in the morning, 22% in the afternoon and 11% in the evening.
The report also showed growth in specialty coffee. Traditional coffee consumption in the past week was unchanged since 2022 at 62% of American adults, while past-week specialty coffee rose to 58% from 53% in 2022.
The increase in specialty coffee was driven by espresso-based beverages. Past-week espresso-based beverage consumption increased to 45% from 40% in 2022, with latte consumption rising to 21% from 17% and espresso consumption increasing to 20% from 16%.
Bill Murray, NCA president and CEO, said in a release that coffee continues to adapt to consumer preferences, budgets and routines.
The Spring 2026 National Coffee Data Trends report was conducted by Dig Insights, with data collected Jan. 5-20, 2026, from a nationally representative sample of 1,850 Americans ages 18 and older, according to the association.
About the Author
Linda Becker
Head of Content
Linda Becker is head of content for Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com, responsible for the brands’ overall content strategy, planning and performance. She oversees the creation and performance of editorial and multimedia content across platforms such as magazines, websites, webinars, podcasts, newsletters, videos, social media, events and eBooks.
Since joining Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com, Linda has developed a new appreciation for the convenience services industry and its essential role. She is dedicated to serving readers by covering the latest news in the vending, office coffee service and micro market industry. She can be reached at 262-203-9924 or [email protected].