National Joe Day is on Saturday, March 27, 2027, and it falls on March 27 every year. It’s a nod to “a cup of joe,” the American nickname for coffee. Some people also use it to celebrate everyone named Joe, Joseph or Josephine.
When Is National Joe Day?
It’s always March 27. It’s an unofficial day, not a federal holiday.
Who Started National Joe Day?
No founder or start year has been documented.
Why is coffee called a “cup of joe”?
No one knows for sure. The phrase “cup of Joe” first appears in print in 1930, according to the language site World Wide Words.
A 1931 military manual listed “Jamoke, Java, Joe” as words for coffee, from “Java” and “Mocha.” The likeliest theory is that “joe” grew out of “java” or “jamoke.” It may have been nudged along by phrases like “an ordinary Joe.”
Why Celebrate Coffee?
It’s America’s most popular drink. In January 2025, 66% of American adults had coffee in the past day, the National Coffee Association found. That’s more than any other drink, including bottled water.
Specialty drinks are growing fast. Some 46% had a specialty coffee, such as a latte or cold brew, in the past day, up from 39% in 2020. Most coffee is made at home: 71% of daily drinkers brewed theirs only at home.
How to Celebrate National Joe Day
- Try a new brew method: make pour-over, French press or cold brew instead of your usual drip.
- Taste beans side by side: compare an Ethiopian and a Colombian coffee and note the differences.
- Buy a coffee for a Joe: treat a friend or coworker named Joe, Joseph or Josephine.
- Visit a local roaster: ask what was roasted this week and how they’d brew it.
- Make coffee ice cubes: freeze leftover coffee so iced coffee doesn’t get watered down.
How Much Coffee Is Too Much?
For healthy adults, the FDA cites 400 milligrams of caffeine a day as an amount not generally linked to negative effects. That’s roughly two to three 12-ounce cups of coffee.
Caffeine varies a lot by brew. A 12-ounce cup of regular coffee can hold anywhere from 113 to 247 mg. Jitters, a racing heart or trouble sleeping are signs you’ve had too much.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the Navy name coffee “joe”?
Probably not. The story credits Navy Secretary Josephus Daniels’s 1914 ban on alcohol, but “cup of Joe” didn’t appear in print until 1930. Enlisted sailors’ ships had been dry since 1862.
How much caffeine is in decaf?
About 2 to 15 milligrams per 8 ounces, the FDA says, so decaf isn’t completely caffeine-free.
Is there another coffee day?
Yes. National Coffee Day falls on September 29, and National Irish Coffee Day is January 25.