Free coffee at Wawa today: How to get it

Wawa is celebrating the anniversary of the opening of its first store and the creation of its charitable foundation on Thursday with free coffee.

The company expects to hand out 1.7 million free cups at all its 720 stores in six states in any size on "Wawa Day" to commemorate the opening of its first store in April, 1964 in Folsom, Pennsylvania.

Customers simply can walk into the store and get the coffee of their choice; no purchase is necessary.

Not sure if you have a Wawa nearby? The chain has an online store locator.

The Wawa Foundation, created on the occasion of the chain's 50th anniversary in 2014, donated $12 million to charity in 2015 and has set a goal of another $50 million "to causes supporting health, hunger and everyday heroes by 2018," Chris Gheysens, Wawa’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

“At Wawa, we exist to go beyond filling customer orders to fulfilling the lives that we touch every day," Gheysens said. "Our core purpose is exemplified through the commitment of The Wawa Foundation to give back to the communities we serve, as well as through the dedication of our thousands of associates who make the Wawa experience so special. It’s always meaningful to celebrate our customers, associates and communities with one of our most beloved Wawa products."

Wawa announced it will hire 5,000 new employees this spring in all its stores.