Now that National Coffee Month is here, Door Dash has dropped its latest way to measure consumer stress, tracking through one of the most consistent discretionary purchases: iced coffee. The Iced Coffee Index (ICI) uncovers how coffee drinkers are seeking treats during periods of emotional stress and uncertainty. The ICI is scored out of 100, using a mix of DoorDash order data and consumer sentiment insights from an iced coffee survey. A higher score on the ICI indicates a higher cultural reliance on iced coffee to help manage stress.
Per the collected data, DoorDash saw spikes in iced coffee orders on some of 2025’s most stressful days so far, such as Blue Monday (dubbed the most depressing day of the year), Tax Day, and even during the recent tariff announcement on April 2. The index landed at an 85/100, indicating that today’s coffee drinkers aren’t just drinking iced coffee, they’re using it to cope. What was once a seasonal drink, 87% drink iced coffee even when they don’t need caffeine.
Other survey findings discovered more interesting facts about iced coffee drinking habits:
- 86% say iced coffee boosts their mood
- 79% see it as a treat when life feels overwhelming
- 77% say iced coffee helps them feel grounded
- 77% say they feel more like themselves with a cup of iced coffee in hand
“Iced coffee may seem simple, but it’s one of the most revealing behaviors we can track,” said Cristen Milliner, Consumer Trends Expert at DoorDash. “It reflects mood, energy, and how people are coping with what’s happening around them. The shift in iced coffee behavior this quarter shows that consumers turn to it as an anchor, especially during times of heightened stress, like we saw in Q2, when seasonal transitions and nonstop, heavy news cycles left many looking for small, reliable rituals.”
