The Perfect Blend: Holiday Inn Express and Costa Coffee Kick Off College Football Season with Free Coffee
According to a New Survey, Over 60% of College Football Fans Are Up and at 'Em Before 8 A.M. on Game Day – and for Many, Coffee Is One of the First Plays of the Day
ATLANTA, Aug. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a bold move to elevate every stay with an exceptional coffee experience, Holiday Inn Express by IHG and The Coca-Cola Company's Costa Coffee, have announced an exclusive partnership that will bring Costa's freshly ground and brewed coffee to every Holiday Inn Express hotel across the United States.
To celebrate the launch of this new partnership, Holiday Inn Express and Costa Coffee are teaming up to offer free coffee to college football fans – no hotel reservation required. With the upcoming season bringing early mornings, long drives and packed tailgates, a quality cup of coffee is a must. That's why on Saturday, August 30, during Week 1, fans can visit participating hotels* within 10 miles of Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools to grab a complimentary cup.
According to a new national survey of 2,000 college football fans commissioned by Holiday Inn Express, and conducted by Talker Research, coffee is a game day essential:
- More than half include breakfast or coffee in their pre-game rituals when traveling for game day
- 81% of fans say coffee or caffeine is a key part of their game day morning routine
- 70% of coffee drinkers consume at least two cups while en route to the game
"For years, Holiday Inn Express has helped guests start their day right with a fresh, hot, complimentary breakfast – one of our signature offerings at over 3,000 locations worldwide. Now, breakfast is getting even better as Costa Coffee becomes part of the Holiday Inn Express experience," said Justin Alexander, VP of Global Brand Management for Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites & Candlewood Suites. "For college football fans, the morning can define the whole game day, and with thousands of locations across the country, we're here to welcome those getting ready to embark on pre-game traditions, cheer on their teams, and maybe even roast a rival or two!"
The survey also revealed that a majority of college football fans spend at least one night away during game day weekends, making hotel choice a key part of the overall experience. When selecting a place to stay, top priorities include:
- Proximity to the stadium (48%)
- Free breakfast (46%)
- A high-quality coffee experience (43%)
With Costa Coffee now brewing at more than 1,300 Holiday Inn Express locations, this collaboration underscores both brands' commitment to delivering an exceptional guest experience – starting with that first cup. This partnership responds to travelers' increasing expectations for freshness, flavor and customization.
In fact, findings from a recent survey conducted by Suzy and commissioned by Costa Coffee reveal:
- Nearly half of respondents believe freshly brewed, freshly ground coffee tastes significantly better than traditional drip
- 61% agree that the quality and freshness of hotel coffee reflects how much a hotel values its guests
"For many hotel guests, a cup of coffee is the ritual that sets the tone for their entire stay. That's why we're thrilled to partner with Holiday Inn Express to bring Costa's smooth, rich coffee to travelers across the country," said Amy Daugherty, Costa Coffee, U.S. Head of Marketing. "With a shared commitment to quality and warm hospitality, we are proud to offer a solution that's efficient, flexible, and thoughtfully crafted for today's travelers. This is about more than coffee; this is about creating meaningful moments of joy for guests and creating unforgettable game day experiences for fans across the country."
Free coffee day kicks off a season of refreshing surprises from Holiday Inn Express and Costa Coffee – designed to keep fans fueled all game day long. Learn more at holidayinnexpress.com and follow along on Instagram @holidayinnexpress and Facebook @HolidayInnExpress to catch the latest!
Disclaimers:
- Coffee is complimentary for all Holiday Inn Express guests as part of their stay. On Saturday, August 30, from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM (local time), this special offer will also be extended to non-guests at participating locations. Offer is valid while supplies last.
- Costa Coffee is now available across the U.S. not only at Holiday Inn Express, but also at avid hotels, Atwell Suites, Garner Hotels, and Candlewood Suites. With over 1,800 IHG locations now brewing, visit www.ihg.com to book your stay.
About Costa Coffee
Owned by The Coca-Cola Company, Costa Coffee® is a total coffee brand with over 2,700 coffee shops in the UK & Ireland and 1,300+ globally. Costa Coffee entered the U.S. market in 2021 to redefine the coffee experience, aiming to elevate it from a mere necessity to a premium, quality ritual. Combining over 50 years of coffee craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology, Costa offers a diverse range of innovative options for consumers. Learn more at www.costacoffeeusa-pro.com and connect with us on Instagram and LinkedIn.
About Holiday Inn Express
For travelers on the go, Holiday Inn Express provides more where it matters most – a great night's sleep with our Express Recharge program, focused service from genuine people, and the Express Start Breakfast™ included in the rate, all designed to help guests feel more than ready for their day. As the fastest growing brand for IHG Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express aims to enable real, human connections for our guests by providing a simple, smart travel experience. For more information, visit www.holidayinnexpress.com, and connect with us on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.
About IHG Hotels & Resorts
IHG Hotels & Resorts ((tickers: LON:IHG for Ordinary Shares, NYSE:IHG) is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.
With a family of 20 hotel brands and IHG One Rewards, one of the world's largest hotel loyalty programmes with over 145 million members, IHG has more than one million rooms and 6,700 open hotels in over 100 countries, and a development pipeline of over 2,200 properties.
- Luxury & Lifestyle: Six Senses, Regent Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Vignette Collection, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo
- Premium: voco hotels, Ruby, HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, EVEN Hotels
- Essentials: Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Garner hotels, avid hotels
- Suites: Atwell Suites, Staybridge Suites, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Candlewood Suites
- Exclusive Partners: Iberostar Beachfront Resorts
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 385,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally.
Visit us online for more about our hotels and reservations and IHG One Rewards. To download the IHG One Rewards app, visit the Apple App or Google Play stores.
For our latest news, visit our Newsroom and follow us on LinkedIn.
Methodology
The survey was conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Holiday Inn Express from July 29 to Aug. 8, 2025, with a sample of 2,000 American college football fans, evenly split by the 10 DI NCAA conferences.
Data comes from a survey conducted by Suzy on behalf of Costa Coffee from April 9 to April 14, with a sample of 841 U.S. hotel guests aged 18–99 who had traveled and stayed at a hotel within the past two years and drink coffee.
**Participating Holiday Inn Express by IHG properties include: Auburn - University Area, Muncie Northwest, Waco Downtown, Boise-University Area, Boston, Orem-North Provo, Ft. Collins, Greenville, Ann Arbor - University South, Statesboro, Atlanta Downtown, Harrisonburg – University Area, Manhattan, Kent - University Area, Lynchburg, Ruston, East Lansing, Starkville, Raleigh SW NC State, Columbus OSU-Medical Center, Athens, Corvallis-On The River, State College @Williamsburg Sq, Houston S - Medical Ctr Area, North Dallas at Preston, Mountain View - S Palo Alto, Tonawanda - Buffalo Area, Syracuse Airport, Philadelphia-Midtown, College Station, Fort Worth Downtown, San Marcos South, Lubbock Central - Univ Area, West Point-Fort Montgomery, Akron Regional Airport Area, Tuscaloosa-University, Birmingham - Homewood, Tucson Mall, Fayetteville-Univ Of Ar Area, Berkeley, Cincinnati NE - Redbank Road, Athens-University Area, Urbana-Champaign (U Of I Area), Coralville, Lawrence, Lexington-Downtown/University, West Monroe, Louisville Airport Expo Center, College Park-University Area, Memphis Medical Center Midtown, Minneapolis-Dwtn (Conv Ctr), Oxford, Columbia Univ Area - Hwy 63, Lincoln Downtown, Reno Airport, Albuquerque Midtown, Chapel Hill, Charlotte NE - University Area, South Bend - Notre Dame Univ., Eugene Downtown - University, Pittsburgh-South Side, Mobile - University Area, Columbia Downtown – The Vista, Tampa -USF-Busch Gardens, Los Angeles Downtown West, Hattiesburg West – Univ Area, Knoxville West - Papermill Dr, El Paso - Downtown, San Antonio Medical-Six Flags, Tulsa Downtown, Madison, Laramie West, Logan, Nashville West End - Univ Area, Blacksburg - University Area, Nashville Airport, Phoenix-Tempe, Opelika Auburn, Waco South, Boise Airport, Toledo South - Perrysburg, Belleville (Airport Area), Tallahassee - I-10 E, Atlanta Arpt West - Camp Creek, Columbus - Ohio Expo Center, Houston - Galleria Area, San Diego - Mission Valley, San Jose – Silicon Valley, Dallas Medical - Market Ctr, Philadelphia - Penns Landing, Tuscaloosa East, Cincinnati SE Newport, Lexington Dtwn Area-Keeneland, Lafayette-South, Louisville Downtown, Memphis Arpt Elvis Presley Blv, Ann Arbor West, Minneapolis – West End, Las Vegas - E Tropicana, Albuquerque Airport, Charlotte North, Mobile – I-65, Los Angeles - LAX Airport, Toledo North, Tulsa Midtown, Salt Lake City Downtown, Nashville Downtown - Broadway, Boston-Waltham, Fresno Airport, Miami Airport-Blue Lagoon Area, Columbus Airport – Easton, San Diego Downtown, Lubbock West, Colorado Springs-First & Main, Tucson-Airport, Lexington - Hamburg Area, Henderson, Albuquerque Historic Old Town, Charlotte - South End, Pittsburgh West - Green Tree, Mobile West - I-10, Toledo West, Nashville Metro Center Downtown, Miami Airport Doral Area, Atlanta Airport NE - Hapeville, Columbus Downtown, San Diego Airport-Old Town, Buffalo Downtown - Medical CTR, Tucson North - Marana, Lincoln South, Las Vegas SW – Spring Valley, Albuquerque East, Tampa East - Ybor City, Austin NW - Arboretum Area, Nashville W I40/Whitebridge Rd, Columbus - Worthington, Houston - Memorial Park Area, Tampa-I-75 @ Bruce B. Downs, Nashville-I-40&I-24(Spence Ln)
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SOURCE IHG Hotels & Resorts