McDonald's coffee giveaway returns Tuesday

McDonald’s will give away cups of coffee for two weeks beginning Tuesday as it calls attention to its McCafe line.

McDonald’s restaurants throughout the Chicago area and Northwest Indiana are participating in the chain’s second national Free Coffee Event. The promotion runs through National Coffee Day on Sept. 29.

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“We are excited about the opportunity for people to see what McDonald’s has for breakfast while also rewarding longtime guests with a free cup of coffee to accompany their favorite morning meal,” said Ed Schmitt Jr., a McDonald’s owner/operator and president of the McDonald’s Owners/Operators of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.

The company held its first coffee giveaway in March to call attention to its McCafe line as competitors were launching breakfast service or new breakfast offerings. The McCafe line, launched in 2009, has expanded to include iced coffees, espresso-based drinks, smoothies and frappes as well as seasonal offerings.

Packages of McCafe coffee grounds, whole beans and single-cup pods will be available in grocery stores early next year under a collaboration recently announced between McDonald’s and Kraft Foods Group.