Coffee is one of the world’s most popular beverages. Seemingly everyone partakes in the brewed arts, be it a latte or pour-over, espresso or cold brew. But for an increasing number of Americans, coffee is becoming more and more of a necessity. And a new report from the National Coffee Association finds that daily coffee consumption is at a 20-year high.
The findings are part of the NCA’s National Coffee Data Trends report, which states is “the longest-running study of US consumer coffee behavior.” The report surveys Americans across all age groups about their coffee habits to see how they change over time. They found that coffee consumption is up pretty much across the board, and not only are more people drinking coffee but people are drinking more coffee.
The study found a 37% increase in the number of Americans who consumed coffee in the past day, up from 49% of all respondents in 2004 to 67% in 2024. According to their findings, that’s more than any other beverage, including bottled and tap water. 75% of Americans stated they had coffee in the last week, a 4% increase from last year.
Broken by age, every group save the 18 to 24-year-olds saw an increase; the 18 to 24 group held at 47%. The 60+ cohort saw the biggest jump in past-day consumption, up 9%, whereas both the 25-39 and 40-59 groups rose by 4.5% from the prior year.
And for many coffee drinkers, their drink of choice was specialty coffee. 57% reported drinking specialty coffee in the last year, a 7.5% increase from 2023. Espresso drinks were the most significant driver of the uptick, with lattes leading the way at 18%. Straight espresso and cappuccinos came in second and third with 16% and 14%, respectively.
So if you feel like the lines are getting a little bit longer at your favorite cafe, they probably are. Luckily, good things are worth the wait.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
