FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

🚨 WALLET ALERT: Dunkin’ Just Gave America ONE Day to Get Free Coffee—But There’s a ‘Wallet Trap’ You Need to Know

MAY 19, 2025 — If you thought “free coffee” meant zero strings attached, think again, America. Dunkin’ is rolling out a National Free Coffee Day on May 19, but consumer advocates are warning that this “gift” could actually cost you more in the long run if you’re not careful.

Here’s the deal: Dunkin’ is offering a free medium hot or iced coffee with any purchase. Sounds great, right? But here’s the wallet trap—the “any purchase” part. Consumer advocates say that minimum spend can be as low as a $1 donut, but psychological research shows that once you’re in the store for that “freebie,” the average customer spends $4.50 to $6 extra on impulse items like breakfast sandwiches, donuts, and overpriced bottled water.

The Real Cost:

• Free coffee value: ~$2.79
• Average additional spend: $5.00
• Net loss to your wallet: $2.21 (plus tip guilt)

Even worse, the fine print reveals that the free coffee cannot be customized — no oat milk, no extra shot, no cold foam. So if you’re a “lavender oat milk cold brew with oat milk cold foam” person, that free coffee is basically a plain cup of joe that doesn’t match your lifestyle. You’ll end up paying for the upgrade anyway.

Pro Tip from Consumer Advocates: The only way this is actually a win is if you were already planning to buy something at Dunkin’ that day. If not? Make your coffee at home. A cup of homemade coffee