Americans Ditch Coffee Shop Runs as Prices Soar

Consumers switch to cheaper home brews as coffee costs rise 47% over 5 years

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Years of steadily climbing coffee prices have some Americans upending their daily coffee shop routines, nixing café visits, switching to cheaper brews, or foregoing coffee altogether. Consumers like Chandra Donelson and Liz Sweeney have made dramatic changes to their coffee habits, opting for home-brewed or cheaper alternatives as the cost of a daily café visit has become prohibitive.

Why it matters

The rise in coffee prices, driven by global supply chain issues and climate-related crop shortages, is forcing many Americans to rethink their coffee consumption habits. This shift in consumer behavior could have broader implications for the coffee industry and the businesses that rely on daily coffee shop visits.

The details

Coffee prices in the U.S. were up 18.3% in January from a year ago, with prices rising 47% over the past 5 years. This extraordinary price increase has led some consumers to take extraordinary measures, such as nixing café visits, switching to cheaper home-brewed coffee, or even giving up coffee altogether. Consumers like Chandra Donelson and Liz Sweeney have made dramatic changes, going from daily café visits to home-brewed coffee or cheaper alternatives like canned soda.

  • Coffee prices in the U.S. were up 18.3% in January 2026 from a year ago.
  • Over the past 5 years, coffee prices in the U.S. rose 47%.

The players

Chandra Donelson

A 35-year-old from Washington, D.C. who has given up her daily coffee shop visits due to rising prices.

Liz Sweeney

A 50-year-old from Boise, Idaho who has cut her coffee consumption and switched to cheaper alternatives like canned soda.

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What they’re saying

“Before, I thought, 'There's no way I could make it through my day without coffee.' Now my car's not on automatic pilot.”

— Liz Sweeney

“Twenty cents a cup compared to $7 or $8 a cup. The math just makes sense.”

— Chandra Donelson, data and artificial intelligence strategist

The takeaway

The rise in coffee prices is forcing many Americans to rethink their daily coffee habits, with some opting for cheaper home-brewed options or foregoing coffee altogether. This shift in consumer behavior could have significant implications for the coffee industry and the businesses that rely on daily café visits.