Why Starbucks Didn't Offer Free Coffee On National Coffee Day

Instead of giving away free coffee on National Coffee Day, Starbucks is making over their menu boards to highlight information about the farmers the global company sources their beans from. Until Oct. 1, customers will be without menu boards listing drink options. Instead Starbucks customers will be able to learn three different ways their coffee purchase makes a difference for the lives of these farmers.

As reported by the Starbucks newsroom, "We want our customers to know that they can feel good about their Starbucks purchase, which is positively impacting coffee growing communities around the world," said Kelly Goodejohn, director of ethical sourcing, global social impact, and public policy for Starbucks.

But Starbucks hasn't entirely eschewed the festive spirit. The company is launching a special roast in tandem with National Coffee Day—Single-Origin Guatemala Huehuetenango. The coffee is grown in a mountainous region that had been impacted by coffee leaf rust, but since 2015, Starbucks has been planting one tree for every bag of coffee sold, and this new roast is made from those replenished crops.

Think Starbucks is pretty cool for their impactful message? The insides of these Starbucks stores are even cooler.