How U.S. Presidents Made Coffee a Political Ritual

When you picture a U.S. president at work, it’s not just the Oval Office or Air Force One—it’s often that steaming cup in hand. But which leaders drank the most, how did they shape America’s coffee habits, and why did some, like Obama, break the mold entirely? The answers lie in over 250 years of presidential caffeine rituals.

Since George Washington’s era, nearly every American president has relied on coffee—some drinking gallons daily, others rationing it during war, and a few even building coffee empires. Their habits influenced national tastes, wartime rationing, and even helped spark modern café culture.

George Washington’s 91-Kilogram Coffee Order

Long before the Revolution succeeded, George Washington was already importing coffee by the crate. In 1770, he ordered 200 pounds (91 kilograms) of coffee from a Philadelphia merchant and later, weeks before his death, requested 150 pounds of the finest available Mocha. Coffee wasn’t just his drink—it was a lifelong staple.

The Roosevelts: From Gallon-a-Day Drinkers to Coffee Entrepreneurs

Theodore Roosevelt Sr. reportedly consumed nearly 4 liters (1 gallon) of coffee daily, despite suffering from severe asthma and heart problems. His massive coffee cup was nicknamed “the bathtub.” Under his influence, the Roosevelt children founded the country’s first exotic coffeehouse chain, Brazilian Coffee House, decades before Starbucks. Opened in November 1919 in a stone building on New York’s West Side, the café featured portraits of famous coffee drinkers like Voltaire (allegedly drinking 50 cups a day) and Shakespeare, along with mounted animal trophies. The space offered something radical for its time: 30 oak tables equipped with branded stationery, dictionaries, and encyclopedias, creating a café-meets-library vibe. Patrons included writers, musicians, and journalists. The original name sparked a legal dispute after a manager left, leading to a rebrand as Double R Coffee House. The franchise expanded to four locations before closing in the 1930s.

Coffee During Wartime: FDR’s Rationing and ‘Roosevelt Coffee’

Franklin D. Roosevelt, as revealed in a 1968 presidential cookbook, had coffee delivered to his bedroom each morning so he could brew it to his preferred strength. When coffee became rationed during WWII, the entire White House—including the president—was limited to one cup per person per day. To stretch supplies, Eleanor Roosevelt recalled her husband teaching her to revive used coffee grounds: “He showed me how to dry the grounds and mix a teaspoon into fresh coffee for a passable brew.” This technique became known as Roosevelt Coffee.

The Bush Family’s Daily Java Rituals

The Bush family also boasts heavy coffee drinkers. George H.W. Bush reportedly drank 10 cups daily until thyroid and heart issues forced him to quit in 1991—only to return to the habit two weeks later. His son, George W. Bush, stuck to a strict routine: starting work at 5:30 a.m. with a freshly brewed cup while reading the news.

The Exception: Barack Obama’s Tea Cup

Not every president drank coffee. Barack Obama, an outlier, was rarely seen without a white porcelain cup with gold trim—but according to an anonymous White House staffer and former speechwriter Jon Favreau, it always held tea.

How Coffee Became American

According to historian David Courtwright’s book Affected Five Hundred Years, coffee gained patriotic status in the 1770s as a stand-in for tea, which was seen as a symbol of British oppression. That cultural shift turned coffee into the drink of revolutionaries—and later, presidents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which U.S. president drank the most coffee daily?

Theodore Roosevelt reportedly drank nearly 4 liters (1 gallon) of coffee a day, even while managing serious health conditions like asthma and heart disease.

Did any president start a coffee business?

Yes, the Roosevelt children founded the Brazilian Coffee House in 1919, America’s first exotic coffeehouse chain, which predated Starbucks by 50 years and included reading materials and a library-like atmosphere.

What is Roosevelt Coffee?

During WWII coffee rationing, Franklin D. Roosevelt taught his wife Eleanor to reuse coffee grounds by drying them and mixing a teaspoon into fresh coffee to extend the brew, creating what was called Roosevelt Coffee.

Why didn’t Obama drink coffee?

According to a White House staffer and speechwriter Jon Favreau, Obama always drank tea, even in high-level settings, and was rarely seen with coffee.

What role did coffee play in American politics historically?

Coffee became a patriotic symbol in the 1770s, replacing tea as a rejection of British taxation and colonial rule, influencing early American leaders and shaping political identity.

Where was the Brazilian Coffee House located?

The Brazilian Coffee House opened in 1919 in a stone building on New York’s West Side, featuring décor like animal trophies and portraits of famous coffee drinkers, and offering a unique café-library hybrid experience.

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