It's National Coffee Day and many restaurants and stores across the Hudson Valley are offering up a free cup of Joe.

Dunkin' Donuts, McDonald's, and Wawa are just a few merchants who are giving customers a free cup.

The news was a nice surprise for regulars and new customers at a Dunkin' Donuts off of North Broadway in Yonkers. They saved about $2, which perked up their day. "I didn't know that. Thank you for letting me know. I think it's a good idea once in a while to get stuff for free," says Timothy Lindo.

It's estimated that more than half of Americans start their day off with a cup of coffee. Worldwide, over 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed each year.