Starting next week, a local restaurant will show appreciation for its customers by giving away free coffee, and it plans to expand the offering of its coffees by early next year.

Participating McDonald’s restaurants in eastern North Carolina will be offering free coffee to customers for a two-week period, starting next Tuesday. From Sept. 16 to Sept. 29 during breakfast hours, customers can receive a free small cup of McCafe coffee, as well as sugar and cream. Breakfast hours are from 5 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

McKeeman PR Account Executive Whitney Williams said the offer is a result of McDonald’s wanting to thank its customers and show appreciation for their business throughout the year.

Williams said the offer is also in correlation with National Coffee Day on Sept. 29.

“We appreciate our customers and want to say, ‘thank you’ with our hot and ready McCafe coffee,” said Washington McDonald’s owner/operator, Bill Purcell. “We encourage folks to stop by during breakfast hours from September 16-29 to try some on us.”

According to a McDonald’s press release, McCafe fans in eastern N.C. and nationwide can soon enjoy their coffee whenever they want, including at home. McDonald’s recently announced a collaboration with Kraft Foods Group, Inc. to offer a variety of McCafe ground, whole bean and single cup coffees in grocery stores and other retailers nationwide, starting in early 2015.

“We understand there is huge demand for at home options and we’ve built great success with our McCafé coffee in restaurants. So, it was a natural next step to provide customers with McCafé coffee to enjoy in their own home,” Greg Watson, senior vice president, McDonald’s U.S. Menu Innovation said in a press release. “We have always been committed to serving delicious, high quality beverages at a value and we’re happy to provide consumers another great way to enjoy McDonald’s McCafé coffees.”
Made with 100 percent Arabica beans, McCafé packaged coffees will offer consumers a way to enjoy the McCafé experience at home with the quality they’ve come to expect from McDonald’s restaurants, according to the release. Formats and varieties to be introduced include Roast and Ground: Premium Roast, Breakfast Blend, French Roast, Colombian, Premium Roast Decaf, French Vanilla, Hazelnut and French Roast Whole Bean in a 12-oz. bag and on-demand single cups of Premium Roast, French Roast and Premium Roast Decaf.