Where to Get Free Java on National Coffee Day 2012

Get your caffeine on and celebrate with a free cup of coffee.

If the first words out of your mouth every morning are, “I’ll have a large coffee”—or if you can’t even speak until after you’ve had your java fix—there's a national holiday created especially for you. The U.S. will put staunch tea drinkers to shame on National Coffee Day, Sept. 29, when coffee fiends can rejoice and celebrate their beloved coffee bean with free brew from national chains. Coffee was first brought to America in the mid-1600s in a shipment en route to “New Amsterdam,” now known as New York, according to the National Coffee Association. We have that shipment and the Boston Tea Party to thank for turning the nation into coffee drinkers.   Many local cafes and businesses are participating in the nationwide celebration. National…

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Bites Nearby

BITES POLL: What's Your Favorite Chain Restaurant?

Cast your vote and tell us why.

There's much to be said about eating local. By eating local, patrons are able to support their local economy while enjoying flavors unique to the local restaurant's style of cooking. But sometimes, when you're in a rush, a chain restaurant can be a good option too. For this week's Bites Nearby, instead of telling you how we feel about chain restaurants that surround us locally, we decided to let you share your reviews. The chains listed in our poll below have restaurants in Butler, Bloomingdale, Parsippany and Montville, as well as surrounding towns. Answer which is your favorite chain and then leave a comment below to tell us why. Be sure to tell us any of your favorites we may have missed.

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