A coffee break is a daily social gathering for a snack and short downtime, experienced by employees in business and industry. The term coffee break was popularized in America and made-up by the Pan American Coffee Bureau in 1952, but has become worldwide popular in the modern world and is employed whether or not participants actually use to drink coffee. An afternoon coffee break, or afternoon tea, is sometimes a must, as well. The coffee break was initiated in the late 1800s in Stoughton, Wisconsin by the wives of Norwegian immigrants. The city commemorates this every year with the Stoughton Coffee Break Festival. However, the term was popularized by a Pan-American Coffee Bureau ad campaign which motivated consumers, “Give Yourself a Coffee-Break — and Get What Coffee Gives to You”.  Coffee break occurs very often at the end of the first third of the work shift and normally last from 10 to 20 minutes. In some companies, business institutions and some civil service, the coffee break may be officially practical at a set hour. In some other places, a “cart” with hot and cold beverages, cakes, breads and pastries arrive at morning and afternoon. An employer may also contract with an outside caterer for daily service.

The coffee break is often held away from the actual work area, and in a selected area. It is a chance for nourishment, tittle-tattle and small talk, or a time to smoke a cigarette. Thus we can use the alternate term “smoke break”. Coffee break is a chance and great idea to wind down slightly and “regroup” for the remaining day's work. In Australia and New Zealand, the coffee break from work, mostly manual work, is also called “smoko”. More commonly, coffee break is used to refer any break from work in any arena. Housewives are often described in popular culture as taking a coffee break. In some companies and workplaces, a “mock carpet” rule is used in order to be reminiscent colleagues, not to talk about work in the tea room. So when it comes to coffee breaks, it may be advisable to lay off for a while, if you are about to speak to an important customer or head into a team conference where you know there will be much squabbling about the latest project plans.