Putting the word "free" in front of anything makes whatever it is better.

For example: free beer, free pizza, free coffee. See what I mean? Better.

National Coffee Day is on Sept. 29, when coffee fiends can rejoice and celebrate their beloved caffeine source with free brew from national chains. Caribou Coffee and 7-Eleven have caught onto this little secret, and just in time.

More than 8,000 participating 7-Eleven stores nationwide will give away a 20-ounce cup of coffee from 6 to 10 a.m. Sept. 28. Limit one per customer.

On Saturday, you can swing by Caribou Coffee shops for a free small cup of limited-time-only Amy’s Blend coffee using the attached coupon, either printed or on your smart phone.

The nearest 7-Eleven and Caribou locations are:

• 7-Eleven at 43340 Warren Rd. in Canton
• Caribou Coffee at 17378 Haggerty Rd. in Livonia
• Caribou Coffee at Five Mile and Sheldon Roads in Plymouth
• Caribou Coffee at 47490 Grand River Ave. in Novi

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.